The Last Shinobi War
by Simon Heart
Summary: Its been thirteen years since Sasuke left the hidden leaf. During these times of war it will take the power and courage of the 6th hokage to stop the madness. Please R&R. Ch.13 is up! [slow updates from chapter 13 onward]
1. Defending the Tower

This is a story about the final shinobi war, in the world of Naruto. It takes place thirteen years after the end of Naruto part I and ten and a half years after the begining on Naruto Part II. I will go into more detail over what has happened in this time skip in chapter two.

So that I don't get sued: I don't own the Naruto franchice or any of the characters from it.

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Prologue

As the years passed them by the shinobi of the hidden leaf slowely relized the truth they couldn't bear to except. The old ways were never coming back. The war had continued on and on for nine years now. For nine long years there had been death and destruction. Innocents were slain and entire clans were wiped out. Mabye one of the hardest hits the Hidden Leaf took was the loss of their 5th Hokage, who had been beloved by many. Those of the Leaf new that, even if the war, in its physical seft, should ever end, never again would there be peace between the villages. This conflic would last until only one nation was left standing.

However, things were not always as bad as they are now. At the begining of the war the main villages chose sides and it seemed to be a three way battle; the Leafs were obviously assisted by the Hidden Sand who they were on good terms with due to the Sand's previous Kasekage, Gaara. The Hidden Sound, who some would consider responsible for the start of the war, made an early alliance with the Hidden Rock village, as they have always shared a common enemy. The five remaining villages that could produce enough shinobi to be considered worthy of participating in a war, joined forces, as they were frightened by overwhelming strength of the other villages. Those that participated in this particular alliance at the begining of the war are listed as follows: The Village Hidden in the Rain, Mist, Cloud, Grass, and Waterfall. This three way battle continued on for eight years until the death of the 5th Hokage, and the departure of the Gaara from the Sand. With the absance of Gaara the Sand betrayed the Leaf, and with the Leaf crippled, from the loss of their Hokage and their greatest ally, the Hidden Sound no longer saw them as a threat. At this the Sound broke all ties with the Rock and nearly wiped them out entirely. From this point on the war has simply been a mindless massecure, with no end in sight.

At this stage of the war we find the Hidden Leaf hopelessly defending a great tower built outside their village by the late 5th Hokage. If this tower was ever taken, simply put, the Hidden Leaf would fall. Their village would be invaded and wiped out entirely. The battle formation was always they same. An enemy village would attack the Leaf, and when they reached the border of the village, all the strength the Leaf could muster would surround the great tower of the 5th, up until now the Leaf had defended itself quite well, but recently their losses had caught up with them. As I said, at this stage of the war we find the Leaf once again defending the 5th's tower, trying with all their might to protect the innocents of their village.

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Chapter 1: Defending the Tower

"Report, give an estimate of our current losses, and our death to kill ratio, and calculate our chances of surviving this battle."

The young chunin looked at her jonin superior and calculatedthe report quickly in her head.

"So far, we have lost an estimate two-hundred, mostly genin, and a few chunin. Up until the last hour of the battle our kills to losses ratio was 3:1, but it has recently droped to a 1:4 ratio, at this rate we'll only hold out for an estimate three to five hours."

"But, how? What changed on the field that our forces started suffering so many losses?"

"I have not been directly on the front lines sir, but I heard from a fellow sinobi that the Sound's general had entered the field."

"General? You know as well as I, that the term general could refer any number of jonin or even a skilled chunin. Be more specific."

"General Hatake, I was informed that the Sound's current general is..."

elsewhere on the battlefield

"Damn! We can't hold our possition any longer."

Just then a bolt of lightning strunk a leaf shinobi in the back of the neck, to the horror of a young gunin the man fell dead into her arms."Ahhhh!"

She dropped him and rushed to her superior. "This is pointless, we have to fall back to the village, at least there we can get aditional cover."

The jonin looked around him and saw his men falling right and left, as if the very shadows themselves were attacking them.

"Agreed, I will send word to the other jonin for a retreat to the village."

"Wait!", a young jonin ran up to the one who had been directing the front line. "We will stand our ground, I have been ashured that the neccicary renfourcments needed for our victory are on their way."

"What kind of renfourcesments?", the front line jonin asked.

"A two man squad has been disbatched: Gaara of the Desert, and the other is right above us."

All the shinobi within earshot looked up at the top of the tower.

The 6th stood at the top of his predicessor's tower, looking over the battle field. He took off his formal hokage hat, and loosend his robes. He saw the shadow move and strike another of his comrades. He followed the shadow until he found a pattern in its movement, and then, after backing up and getting a running start he leaped off the tower, and flung off his hokage robes. The young hokage threw a barrage of shuriken and kuni at the battle field. Because of his arial angle he was able to get perfect aim and avoid hitting any of his men. Eventually a shuriken made contact. The shadow stoped. The young hokage landed perfectly on his feet as if the fall had been nothing and faced the cloaked figure who's speed up until this point had made him visible only as a shadow.

"Impressive, for you to try an arial aproach."

The young hokage just looked at the shadowy eyes of his opponent, he knew him all too well.

"Not going to speak, fine, it seems you've finaly realized our fate."

Both shinobi quickly drew kuni from their sleeves, and they were locked in battle.

"I have nothing to say to you, my old friend."

"Ha, well, if thats the way you feel, but, you can't tell me this war hasn't assisted you in your goal, old friend.", the shadowy opponent said in a mocking tone.

The young hokage looked at him with disgust.

"Had it not been for this war taking your precious 5th, who knows if you would have ever acomplished your pathetic dream.

The 6th broke thir lock, both shinobi slid backward a few feet and stood, waiting for the next move to be made.

meanwhile

"Now that the 6th has "him" under control, we can take out the rest of those Sound nins."

The chunin girl looked at her jonin officer, "but, even if our forces are more skilled we are now far too outnumbered to win."

Just then a massive wave of shuriken came flying towards the frontline, just before they made contact, a wall of sand covering the entire frontline rose up and blocked the barrage, Gaara had arived.

"I'll take care of these peons", the former kasekage said. "Sand Burial!"

A massive amount of sand rose from all around and engulfed all the Sound nins in the surounding area.

"Desert Cofin!"

And at that word from Gaara, all those bound by the sand were crushed instantly. Gaara turned to the leaf shinobi. "From here on the battle is ours."

with the 6th

"Your still as formadble as you were thirteen years ago."

Despite himself, the 6th couldn't help but grin at the memories of his old rilvary.

"Lets settle this battle", the cloaked figure said, readying an attack.

"It looks to me", the 6th said, "like this battle is already over."

The cloaked figure looked around and saw that the 6th was right, barely a dozen of his men were still standing.

"Fine, I'll retreat for now, but know, had this been a private battle, and not one of armys, the outcome would have been quite different."

"I'm sure", the 6th said smugly.

The cloaked figure fleed into the nearby forest, along with his few survivors.

"Sir", a nearby jonin said to the hokage, "Is it wise to let him get away"

At this the young hokage seemed to have a change in personality. He went from his serious leader-like attitute, to his old well known self.

"Are you kidding? I could take that guy on any day, and its not like he's got any men to support him."

"Sir, you do realize that he will only return with more men the next time."

The hokage turned serious again

"He will be back, again, and again, and we will meet him every time."

He looked at Gaara, who looked like he hadn't broken a sweat, taking out nearly the entire Sound army.

"You know I'm just passing through", Gaara said, "I'll won't be able to assist you every time."

"Yeah, I know", the young hokage said, "but next time, I promise I won't be so late."

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Well, there's chapter one. Please read and review. Also, I'm open to suggestions for "whats happened to a certain character in the past ten and a half years" so feel free to comment on that too. Note that this is going to evolve into a long story with many chapters, and most of them will hopfuly be a lot longer than this one.


	2. A Day in Konoha

I do not own the Naruto franchise or any of its characters

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Chapter 2: A Day in Konoha

The shinobi of Konoha cherished ever moment of peace they had in this day and age. After their previous battle with the Sound, the Leafs were happy to see that they might be able to enjoy at least one day, without conflict. There were some, of course on missions, who could not enjoy this rare peace that had fallen over the village for a day. The missions, however, were no longer those of request as they used to be. In the old days a young gennin may have the simple mission of picking vegetables, assigned to them, but now, all the missions were war related. If a shinobi was not defending their home, they were most likely off in another country fighting some battle there. We now find Hatake Kakashi, visiting the stone that bears the name of his greatest friend, this is the first day in almost a year that he hasn't been on the front lines.

The tired shinobi looked down at the stone, mesmerized in his thoughts of the past.

"I'm getting too old for this, Obito.", Kakashi said.

He would be rounding on forty in a short six months. Not exactly what most would consider "old", but Hatake had been through much in his life. He had fought in the war with the Earth country, he had been there when the nine tailed fox almost destroyed the village, he had lived through the death of three hokages, Kakashi had lost one of his students to a man of what can be called nothing but pure evil, and now "this".

"This war will be the end of me.", Kakashi said to the stone.

As he stared at the stone, Kakashi looked at the newer additions that had been made in the past few years. Most of them, he was sad to say, he didn't even know or recognize.

"So many.", Kakashi muttered to himself.

"Tsunade-sama, this name", Kakashi thought to himself, "must have just been added", but then he remembered how long it had been since he had layed his eyes upon the stone. As he continued to gaze at the stone a few other names caught his eyes. He came to the name Inuzuka Kiba, Kakashi remembered the day when young Hinata and Shino heard of their teamates death. Near Kiba's name Kakashi saw Akimichi Choji, Kakashi remembered he had been in the Land of Waves when that particular young shinobi lost his life. Nara Shikamaru, had never been quite the same. Then Kakashi came to the name Ebisu.

"What?", Kakashi said. "I had no clue.., poor Konahamaru, to lose his sensei..."

It started to rain, at first it seemed that Kakashi would stay out in the storm, but after one last look, he turned from the memorial and was gone.

"Hows it look?"

"You'll be fine, you always are."

"Thanks Sakura-chan."

Rock Lee lay in the Konoha hospital, after suffering a rib ingury in the battle the day before.

"How are Neji and Tenten.", Lee asked.

"Neji is fine.", Sakura said, "However, I'm not sure if Tenten will be active for a week, at least."

"What?"

"She's can't seem to walk, most likely the after effects of lightning damage."

"Lightning..."

"Yeah...", Sakura sighed.

Sakura quickely put a smile on for Lee, she knew that if she seemed depresed, he wouldn't rest until he had done something about it.

"Sakura-chan?"

"Yeah."

"How long has it been."

At first Sakura was confused, but soon realized what he meant.

"Thirteen years.", she sighed, the smile gone.

"Don't frown Sakura-chan, there's still hope."

"Lee, in this dizzying age, what kind of hope is left for us."

At this Lee paniced, "I must say something to reasure Sakura-can", Lee thought.

Lee held up his hand in a thumbs up style, mimicing the one Naruto gave Sakura at the gates of Konoha thirteen years ago.

"Thanks Lee."

"Anytime."

Nara Shikamaru stood at the exit of Konoha with Gaara and Temari. He had decided to see off the missing nins.

"Good luck.", Gaara said.

He turned to leave, but stoped when he realized Temari wasn't following him.

"Gaara, I thought, mabye I'd...", but Gaara cut her off.

"See you soon then."

Temari gave him a smile and he gave her a nod.

"Well this is a drag.", Shikamaru said, "we could have really used a guy like him."

"Hey, you've still got me.", Temari said with a smile.

"Yeah.", Shikarmaru said in his usual lazy voice.

"Hey, are you saying you'd rather have sandman around than me.", Temari said.

"Well", Shikamaru said, "He would have been an amazing help in battle, and...", at that he caught Temari's glance and realized what he said.

"Man, women are a pain.", he thought, but despite himself he couldn't help but smile.

"Come on", he said, "I know this great place to check out the clouds."

"Um, Mr. Genious"

"Yeah"

"Its raining"

"Oh"

They started to laugh.

Uzumaki Naruto sat at his dest, staring down a massive stack of papers, most likely reports from the front line. The young hokage let out a sigh.

"Mabye Sakura-chan would have been better than me at this...nah..."

You see, Naruto had not originaly been offered the hokage name. After the death of Tsunade, as her direct aprentice, Haruno Sakura had been asked, by the council, to become the 6th hokage, but she declined, saying she knew someone much better fit for the job.

There was a tap on the door.

"Come in.", Naruto said.

A twenty-five year old Hyuga Hinata steped through the door.

"Good morning Naruto-kun.", she said with a smile.

"Hey.", was his calmer than usual reply.

"He must be tired", Hinata thought to herself.

"I've brought you a report from Yamanaka Ino, currently in the Rain village."

The young hokage sighed again. "Another paper...", he muttered.

"Hey, cheer up", Hinata said. "Look outside."

Naruto looked out the window, the rain had stopped, he saw two young children playing in a local park. He looked to the right of them, a young mother was on her way home from shopping, and near her was an old man with what looked like his grandchildren, simply taking a walk.

"Do you see it', Hinata said.

"What?", Naruto looked confused.

"Its been almost a year since I've seen people out and about like this.", the young Hyuga replied.

"Yeah...", Naruto quietly said. Now that he thought about it, there hadn't been a calm period like this since the reign of the late 5th, and he doubted they would see another day like this for a long time.

"Thanks", the young hokage muttered.

The Hyuga gave him a kiss on the cheek and departed from the office.

Naruto quietly thought to himself, "What would I do without you Hinata."

Outside of Konoha, two shadey figures look at the seemingly peacful village.

"They look so calm, don't they?"

"Fools, they go one day without an army at their doorstep, and they act as if the war was over."

"Well, mabye we should remind them what can happen when you let your guard down in war."

Just then a young Jonin spotted the two figures.

"You there!", he shouted out, "what are you..."

But, one look into the red eyes of his oponent and he fell to the ground.

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Ok, so this ends chapter two, I did want it to be a little longer, but I felt the story needed to move on. Please read and review.


	3. Konoha's Intruders

First off, I want to give a big shoutout to aki6, who gave my story its first review. Second off, I've decided to use the first half of the chapter to give a direct background story on whats been happening for the past ten and a half years, if you are starting from Naruto part II, thirteen, if from part one. Now, if you would rather wish to skip this sort of "forward" to my story, which is basicaly just a much more detailed version of chapter one's prologue, and move on to the real chapter three, which will be right below it, most of the background info in this forward will be revealed later on in the story.

I do not own the Naruto franchice or any of its characters.

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Forward

When Sasuke Uchiha left the village hidden in the leafs to going Orochimaru, it led Uzumaki Naruto to leave the village also, but on much different terms. Naruto left the village on what you could call a two and a half year training mission, with Jiriaya of the legendary three. When he returned, after a brief mission to the hidden sand to rescue the 5th kazekage, Gaara of the desert, Naruto enbarked on a mission the likes of which he had been waiting for for two and a half long years. This mission was his chance to save Sasuke, but when Naruto found him, it seemed as though the Sasuke he had known was long gone. The mission was a failure, and with that Naruto returned to the village with little less than a half a year before Sasuke's body would be taken, and his friend lost forever.

A month passed, and then two, and three, four, five, six. Naruto and his friends fell into distress when they realized they had failed one of their most charished comrads. Little did they know that things weren't going quite as Orochimaru had planed. It seemed that the young Uchiha had followed in the steps of his brother, when Orochimaru looked into his eyes he realized once again, he had been outclassed. The body transfer would not go through, because Sasuke willed that it didn't, and there was nothing Orochimaru could do about it.

It was then that, in a rage of losing a second chance at the sharingan, Orochimaru decided to finish what he had started three years ago, and destroy the hidden leaf. However Orochimaru knew all too well that the leaf was not to be underestimated. He didn't have enough strength. That was when the fieind looked towards the rock village, old rivals of the 4th hokage. The rock willingly made an alliance with Orochimaru, and the assult on Konoha was made. A this point the leaf was in top condition, and they were able to defeat the combined powers of the sound and rock, however, they suffered many losses, and would not be able to defend themselves a second time. It was then that the 5th looked toward the sand, who in this day and age were the greatest allies the leaf had, due to good relations with the sand's kazekage.

Gaara called on the sand to assist the leaf without a second thought. It was at this time that Orochimaru decided to seek out more villages to his cause. Knowing the evil ways of Orochimaru, five villages united together to create a force stong enough to rivial Orochimaru, these villages were rain, grass, cloud, waterfall, and mist. Orochimaru saw that he would not be able to take the villages, with their new alliance, so he decided instead he would turn them against the leaf and sand. Disguising himself one by one as the kage of the allied villages, he brought five new enemies upon the leaf using lies and deseption. It was a this point that the war became the three way battle that would go on as for eight years. At this the leaf was forced to start despaching troops to enemy villages, instead of just playing defencivly as they had up until now.

In the second year of the war, due to the need of more generals for the front line, Uzumaki Naruto was promoted to the jonin level, which was very uncoventional seeing as he, at this point, had not even passed the chunin selection exam. This greatly disturbed konoha's council, but the 5th stood strong by her desision, saying that Naruto easily exeeded most of the villages jonin, and that in this time of war there was no time for him to go through the formal prosses of being promoted. By the forth year of the war all of the rookie nine and team Gai members, had reached the jonin level, and were leading troops on the front line at almost all times. It was during the fith when the village started to see the effects the war was having on them. At this time Inuzuka Kiba and Akimichi Choji were sent to lead a mission again the mist village. It was there that, to the young jonin's surprise, they were confronted by the mizukage of the mist. After a heroic battle, the two lost their lives, and the leafs lost their first major battle of the war. The 5th was couldn't belive her eyes, when she recieved a report saying the mist had gone as far as to sent their kage into battle. At this she desided she too, would take a more active roll in the war.

It was in the sixth year of the war that Tsudade saw the death of her beloved Shizune, it was then that the 5th built a large watch tower outside of the village standing ten stories high, in memory of Shizune. After this Sakura Haruno became the direct apprentice to the 5th, leaving her former, team seven. The seventh year of the war saw, to the horor of the leaf, the entire destruction of the Inuzuka clan. There was no direct extermination of them, it just seemed like the leaf's ememies were focusing on taking out members of certain clans. In the end this was a smart idea. You see, the more members the clan lost, the more the survivors lost the will to fight. Near the end of the seventh year, when all genin, chunin, and jonin from the clan were gone, a mysterious squad invaded konoha at night, and took out all the Inzuka children, ending the clan forever.

Then it came. Year eight. This was the first year since the begining of the war that Konoha saw the movement of an army led by Sasuke Uchiha. His power seemed overwhelming. He almost single handedly took out the leaf and the sand's army that waited on the outscerts of the hidden leaf village. In the end Tsunade made a final stand against the Uchiha, after what seemed like hours of fighting the 5th hokage of Konoha fell. The name Sasuke is no longer spoken by those of the leaf. To them Sasuke was the name one of their greatest friends and companions, and it seemed that friend was long gone.

It was around this time that Gaara of the Desert relinquished his title of kazekage to his brother Kankuro. Gaara then left the village of the sand, and was considered by the council of the village a missing nin. Gaara revealed the reasons behind his departure only to the newly apoint 6th hokage of the leaf. Some speculate Gaara obtained information regarding Akatsuki, who had remained unusualy dorment since the begining of the war, and left to some how, in his own way, stop this oncoming threat. It was only meer weeks after Kankuro had been given the title of 6th kazekage when he was assasinated by the very council of the sand village. A new ruthless kazakge was apointed as the 7th, and all ties with the leaf were broken. It was then that Temari fled the sand village, scared that she would be sought after by those to took out Kankuro. She came to the leaf for shelter and is now considered a missing nin.

Near the time of these events Orochimaru, seeing the state the leaf was in, decided he had no further use for the hidden rock village. He sent Uchiha Saskue to lead an assut on them. The hidden rock was almost wiped out entirly. Six months after he was apointed hokage, Naruto recieved a strange letter and left the village on, what he called, a self apointed S-rank misson. He left the leaf temporarily in the hands of Hinata Hyuga, who Naruto had grown very close to during the war. It wasn't until three months later that the Naruto returned, alongside Gaara of the Desert. The 6th refused to tell anyone what he had done during this "mission", but at this point Konoha's council seems to believe he was on some kind of spy mission, with the former kazekage. When Temari heard of Gaara's presence in the leaf she had planned to leave with her old teamate and assist him in anyway she could, but when it came time to leave, she felt drawn to stay in the village, most likely due to her strong connection with young Nara Shikimaru.

As the story now opens, night has fallen in Konoha, the two shadey figures still seem to be waiting for the perfect time to strike.

* * *

Chapter 3: Konoha's Intruders

"Lord hokage!"

"What", Naruto said, quickly making himself apear awake among his large stack of papers.

"A young jonin was just found dead, outside the village."

"What!", Naruto said, now acctualy awake.

"We had Haruno Sakura look at him, and this is the thing..., there are no signs of what caused his death, he just seemed to drop dead."

"Where was the body taken.", Naruto said.

"Its at the hospital."

"Ok.", Naruto got up and headed out.

There were no lights on in any of the buildings, "Must be later than I thought."

Naruto finaly reached the hospital, when he got inside he saw a small light on, and headed toward that room.

"Sakura, what do you know about this?"

"I've got nothing, sorry Naruto."

Naruto looked him up and down. "Undon", Naruto muttered to himself.

"Yeah...", Sakura said, "poor Konohamaru, first Ebisu, now this."

"He looks scared", Naruto said.

"I was thinking the same thing.", Sakura said. "Naruto is it possible something scared him to death?"

"Not likely, looks more like", at this Naruto put his hand on Undon's head, "mental damage."

"But, what could have done that, genjutsu?", Sakura asked.

"Yeah, but the only level of genjutsu that would actuly kill is..."

---meanwhile, with our two shadey figures---

"I grow tired of this, why don't we just take them out in their sleep."

"We are not here to cause an uproar, we only want the hokage. He was mettling in things with that sand ninja, that he should not have mettled in."

"You know good and well it won't be "that" easy."

"Hmm, are you underestimating me?"

"Of course not", Kisame flinched, knowing who would win in a fight, should he and his partner ever get into an argument.

The two Akatsuki members slipped into the hidden leaf just as they had thirteen years ago. They walked to the building where the hokage stayed, Itachi knowing the village layout quite well. Just as Kisame was about to enter the building Itachi stoped him.

"He's not here."

"How do you know that?"

"I don't sense him, if a chakra level of his were in the building I would know."

"He sure seems on edge lately", Kisame thought to himself.

"Lets go.", Itachi ordered.

---At the house of Konohamaru---

Three loud knocks are heard at the door.

"What time is it?", Konohamaru thought to himself.

He got out of bed and walked sleepely to the door.

"Yeah.", he said, eyes half closed.

"Konohamaru."

"Huh? Oh, Naruto, Sakura!", he suddenly seemed awake. "Whats going on?"

"Undon was found dead outside the village.", Naruto said in a kind of quiet voice.

"What! How? Why...", he trailed off, taking in what Naruto had just told him.

"We were wondering", Sakura said in a what she hoped to be conforting voice, "if Undon has been acting weird, or anythng latley"

"Same as always.", Konohamaru kind of wispered to himself.

"Would anyone have a reason to kill him?", Naruto asked.

"You mean like an enemy?", Konohamaru asked. "No, I don't think so. You said he was found outsaide the village?"

"Yeah", Sakura said.

"What do you mean by outside?", Konohamaru asked.

"At the gate, not a foot or two outside the village.", Sakura answered.

"We asume", Naruto said, "that he simply spotted intruders outside the village and was killed by them."

"Can't you tell what type of ninja it was from his injuries?", Konohamaru asked.

"Not really", Sakura said. "He suffered mental damage."

"Acctualy", Naruto said, "I have thought of someone who might have been capable of the attack, but..."

"Really, who?", Sakura and Konohamaru said in unison.

"Lord hokage"

Naruto turned around to see Shino.

"I've been looking for you", Shino said in his same calm manner.

"What is it?", Naruto asked.

"My bugs have spotted two intruders in the village."

"Two?", Naruto thought. "It must be them, and if I'm right I'll need..."

"Shino, tell Might Gai and Hatake Kakashi to meet me here as soon as posible."

"Yes sir."

And with that he was gone.

"Whats going on, Naruto?", Sakura asked.

"Don't worry", Naruto said, "If the intruders are who I think they are, they'll find us in just a few minutes."

"Huh, find us? Whats that supposed to mean?"

Just then Kakashi and Gai apeared before them.

"Yes, lord hokage?", they said in usison.

"Gai-sensai, Kakashi-sensai, do you remember a S-ranked missing nin from the hidden mist named Kisame.", Naruto said.

"Yes sir.", they said, once again, in unison.

"I need you two, along with Sakura and Konohamaru to hold him off for me."

"What?", Gai said.

"You again?", Kisame said, pointing at Gai.

Everyone turned around to see Kisame and Itachi of Akatsuki. Kakashi pulled his head band up revealing his sharingan.

"Calm down, Kisame.", Itachi said, "We're here for the kage, nothing else."

"If you think", Sakura yelled. "you can just walk into this village and defeat us, your wrong."

"Loud mouthed girl.", Itachi said, "I've seen you before, haven't I?"

"Everyone back off.", Naruto said, "I told you all, focus on Kisame alone, don't bother with Itachi."

"What is he thinking?", Kakashi thought, "If Itachi wanted..., no telling what he could unleash."

"Fool.", Itachi muttered. "The kage name means nothing. Ten years ago you saw how easily our organization aprehended the kage of the sand, and that was by one of our weakest members. What can you do against me?"

"You sure like to talk.", Naruto said to Itachi.

"I grow tired of this, to think Konoha would resort to a fool like you as their hokage.", Itachi said.

"Then", Naruto said, "show me what you've got."

"I'm tired of your loud mouth", Itachi said. "This ends here."

Itachi closed his eyes and then slowly opened them, revealing the mangekyou sharingan in his eyes. Everyone froze in fear. Naruto however simply walked right up to Itachi and looked right into his eyes.

"Fool. 72 hours of pain!", Itachi activated his jutsu on Naruto.

Naruto's right knee caved, he sliped and caught himself with his right hand, and then to everyone's surprise, including the two Akatsuki members, looked Itachi right in the eye, seemingly unefected by the mangekyou saringan's effects.

"How...", escaped Itachi's lips

Naruto rose to his feat.

"Me and Gaara weren't late for nothing."

* * *

This ends chapter 3 of The Last Shinobi War


	4. Naruto vs Itachi

Ok, so the first thing I have to do is thank aki6 again for giving my story another review. If I judged how many people read this story simply on reviews I would probably get discoraged, however, I'm able to view how many people have added this to their favorites list and their alert list, and I must say, those numbers are much more impressive. Guess most of you just don't like leaving reviews, huh? Oh well, thats ok, I don't mind...sobs at thought of lack of reviews Actualy thats a joke, I don't talk in , but one of my friends does, so I thought I'd try it out. Anyway this intro is getting way too long an off topic, so let me get to the point. The begining of this chapter will start three mounths prior to Naruto and Gaara's heroic rescue of Konoha, from the Sound. Just like last time, the "real" chapter will start below the backstory, and you can skip it if you like, but if your like me, you enjoy undertanding whats going on in the world of the story your reading.

I do not own the Naruto francise, or any of its characters.

* * *

Three Months Earlier

"Good luck", Naruto said.

"Pft, like I need luck", Ino said in a cocky tone.

We now find Naruto, Hinata, Sakura, and Shikamaru seeing off Yamanaka Ino, as she leaves to head an assult against the hidden rain village.

"See you soon", everyone yelled.

Just as Ino dashed off, a young chunin came running up to the Naruto.

"Lord hokage!"

"Huh?", Naruto said.

"Thats you, now, remember idiot?", Sakura jokingly said to Naruto.

"Lord hokage, you recived a message a few moments ago.", the young chunin said.

"From who, or what village?", Naruto replied.

"I'm not sure sir, it was delivered in an odd way.", at this the chunin got an weird look on her face.

"What do you mean odd?", Naruto said.

"It sort of just floted in through the window, and when I went to pick it up off your desk it seemed real dirty, like it was covered in sand or something."

"Gaara!', Naruto and Sakura both said in unison.

Naruto otomaticaly took the letter and ripped it open:

Dear Lord Hokage,

Meet me at the border of the Grass and Wind country, bring no one, tell no one.

-Garra

At this Naruto ripped apart the letter.

"Hey what was that about?", Sakura asked with a confused look on her face.

"Hinata", Naruto said, "I want you to look over the hidden leaf in my absance", at this he scribled something on a piece of paper and tossed it to Hinata. "That should get the council to answer to any decisions you make. If anyone ask tell them, I've left on an S-rank misson."

"But, wha?", Sakura started to ask, but she trailed off after she saw the look in Naruto's eyes.

"Sounds troublesome", Shikamaru said in that lazy voice of his.

At this Sakura gave Shikamaru a punch to the head.

"This is important!", Sakura yelled.

"Geez, women...", Shikamaru thought.

At this Naruto lept out of the hidden village, just as Ino had moments ago.

"Be safe.", Hinata whispered to herself.

---one day later---

Naruto looked at the area around him.

"They really make it obvious don't they."

Naruto was refering to, of course, the boder of the Wind and Grass countries, whose division was simply the area where the grass ended and the desert began.

"Kind of an open place for a secret meeting", Naruto thought. "Then again, there's nothing but sand and grass for miles."

Just then a giant mound of sand came molding up out of the ground until it assumed the shape of a human.

"Ah, your here."

"Hey, Gaara", Naruto said. "Long time no see."

"Yeah", Gaara said in a voice the sounded in too much of a hurry to ingage in common greetings. "Listen, Naruto, we don't have much time."

"Is Akatsuki really moving that fast, in response to you taking the scroll?", Naruto asked.

"I didn't think they had even noticed, until the council had Kankuro assasinated. The council that was active during my reign as 5th would have stayed loyal to Kankuro, I would have never left if I thought otherwise. I suspect one or more of the council members, including the 7th kazekage is being impersenated by a member of Akatsuki."

"I never thought they would do something that would get them this "involved" in the world.", Naruto said. "Impersonating a kazekage is serious."

"One of their former members is know for it.", Gaara said with a hint of disgust in his voice.

"Orochimaru", Naruto whispered, remembering his impersionation of the 4th kazekage. "But, why infiltrate the Sand?"

"They might have worried I passed the information I stole to others among the village.", Gaara said.

"To think they would go that far to protect the secrets of the Uchiha clan.", Naruto said.

"Remember, excluding the Akatsuki leader, Itachi is their most valuble member, if there should be a major weakness found in his stradegy, it would mean taking a critical hit.", Garra said.

"Then I assume, you've made some progress with the scroll.", Naruto said.

"I've fully translated every word of the ancient Uchiha text, however the jutsu described in the scroll are on an extremely high level and would take years to learn, however I thought of a certain shinobi who could get around this problem.", Gaara said.

"Ha, fast training is my specialty.", Naruto proudly anounced.

"Thats why we're here.", At this Gaara jestured around showing the lack of human presence in the area. "This place is completly in the middle of nowhere, and we need lots of room and lots of privacy. So, Naruto do your thing."

"Tajuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

Instantly there were one-thousand Narutos filling up the previously empty field.

"Let me at that scroll!", Naruto said with a look of excitmant in his eyes.

"We don't have much time, I suggest you start with this one.", Gaara tossed the scroll to Naruto, one of the jutsus were circled with a few grains of sand.

---twenty-nine days later---

"Naruto!", Gaara came running yelling at the young hokage.

"Wait, wait, I think I've almost got this one down.", Naruto said.

"This is ergant, my 3rd eye jutsu just spotted an attack on Konoha.", Gaara yelled into the field of Narutos.

"What! Why didn't you say so?", Naruto screamed back. "How bad is it.!", Naruto srceamed, still some distance from Gaara.

"They were ok, until just recently.", Gaara said.

"Why? What happened?", Naruto asked.

"The Sound's prized general just entered the battle, if the leaf is to survive more than a few hours, we're going to have to high tail it back to the village.", Gaara said.

"But, its a days journey, how are we going to make it?", Naruto asked now seeming quite worried.

"Don't worry, I've got an idea.", At this Gaara ushered up a sort of magic carpet out of sand. "Hop on."

Naruto complied, the minute he sat down his hands were bound to the carpet by the sand.

"Hey!", Naruto yelled.

"Sorry, but at the rate we'll be traveling, I doubt you could hold on by yourself.", Gaara said, seeming quite proud of his sand.

"Huh?", Naruto said, quite confused as to what was about to happen.

Just then the carpet sped off at a speed match only by Konoha's Yellow Flash himself.

"There!", Naruto yelled, very dizzy, pointing at the 5th's tower.

"Gotcha.", Gaara said, slowing the carpet down enough for Naruto to jump of.

Gaara then flew down to the outskirts of the battle field, where he saw a young jonin.

"Boy!", Gaara said.

The jonin looked around to see the former kazekage adressing him.

"Tell your fellow leafs, their hokage has returned.", and at that Gaara entered the battle.

* * *

Chapter 4: Naruto vs. Itachi

Everyone was staring blankely at Naruto. Then Itachi caught there attention.

"Hahahahaha.", Itashi started laughing to himself.

"Are you ok?", Kisame asked his parter.

At this Itashi started mumbling to himself. "I killed all of them, none of them could do it, not him, or her, or even father, brother can't do it, but he, he can. Itachi's eyes seemed to grow as this mumbling continued.

"He's lost it.", Sakura whispered.

"Itachi...", Kisame said, looking woried about the sanity of his partner.

Then Itachi looked up at Naruto.

"You who have escaped my eyes, show me what kind of power you possess.", At this Itachi assumed a battle possition.

In truth everyone, including Kisame, now wanted to see what Naruto was capable of. Then to Kisame's disapointment.

"Leave me!", Itachi barked.

Kisame then created a tidal wave out of nowhere and washed everyone except Naruto and Itachi, all the way across the village.

"Now", Itashi said, "come."

Naruto ran forward.

"remember the scroll, remember the scroll, remember the scroll", Naruto kept thinking to himself.

Right before Naruto's punch reached Itachi's face, he disapeared, and reapeared behind Itachi, punch now aimed at the back of his head. Itachi easily read his move with his sharingan, but when he went to block the punch.

"Ah!", Itashi winsed as Naruto's punch made direct contact with his back.

"Did it!", Naruto said in a triumphint sort of way.

"But how?", Itachi thought. "I read his attack."

"Before you cause yourself anymore pain!", Naruto yelled at Itachi, now theroly injoying himself. "You should know, as long as you use those eyes, you won't land a hit on me."

"So", Itachi said. "you had longer with the scroll than we thought. Never the less" He deactivated his sharingan. "You are still no match for me."

---meanwhile, with Kisame and the other leafs---

Everyone got up, not necicarily hurt, but shocked by the sudden attack, which had blown them all onto seperate rooftops of Konoha buildings.

"Ha, so it's four against one.", Kisame shouted. "Thats hardly fair. You need at least six more to make this interesting for me."

"Funny.", Kakashi said.

"And whats with that one?", Kisame yelled, pointing at Konohamaru, who looked completely oblivious to what was going on around him.

"Damn, he's been like this since the news about Undon set in.", Sakura mumbled to herself.

"Sakura!", Kakashi yelled. "Konohamaru's in no condition to fight, look after him, me and Gai can handle this!"

At this Sakura jumped over to Konohamaru and put her hand on his sholder.

"Looks like its just two against one.", Gai said.

"Gai, if you can grab him from behind and hold him for a sec, I've got this taken care of.", Kakashi told his teamate.

"I see.", Gai said.

Gai leeped at the Akatsuki member with a kick, aimed strait at his head. Kisame went to swing his massive sword. Just before the blade hit Gai, he did a flip and landed on Kisame's out stretched blade. Kisame let out a, "Huh", just before Gai ran down his sword and landed a kick right in his face. Kisame went flying backward. Just before he regained balance Gai grabbed him from behind.

"Now Kakashi!", Gai yelled.

Kakashi came flying at Kisame with a full powered chidori in hand.

"Now Gai!", Kakashi screamed.

Gai jumped out of the way just in time for Kakashi's chidori to make direct contact with Kisame's chest.

"Too easy.", Kakashi muttered, just then Kisame's body started melting around Kakashi's hand. "Water clone!", was all Kakashi could let out before he was knocked out from behind by Kisame's sword.

"You should really think before you use that move", Kisame said to Kakashi's motionless body. "It really seems to lower you guard."

"Looks like its just you and me.", Gai said pointing at Kisame.

"Just like old times, huh?", Kisame said.

"Who are you?", Gai replied.

"Grrrrrr."

---with Itachi and the 6th---

Itachi ran at Naruto, then just as he came close to him he did a back flip, landed on his hands, and pushed him self high up into the air.

"Katon! Goukankyuu no Jutsu!"

A massive ball of fire headed down for Naruto, lighting up the night sky. Naruto quickely used a few choice hand signs and then held up his arms. Two gust of wind flew out of Naruto's sleeves and clashed with Itachi's fire. Both attacks seemed to stugle with each other until they eventualy caused an explosion. Naruto and Itachi were sent flying.

"Wind-type,eh?", Itachi said to himself. "Might not want to try another fire attack then, it could be dangerous."

The two shinobi ran on roof tops until they reahed eachother again, both of them lunged at the other and they clashed fist. For a second they strugled, but Itachi slowly started overpowed Naruto.

"Damn, after relying on so much genjutsu and ninjustsu, I never thought he'd have this much brute strength.", Naruto thought to himself.

Naruto forfited their clash, falling backward off the roof he and Itachi were on, as he fell he tossed a kuni up at Itachi. Itachi tilted his head to the right, dodging it easily.

"Huh?", Itachi said as he saw the kuni pass him by. He quickely leaped off the building on to the ground where Naruto was.

"Explosive kuni." Itachi said, more to himself than Naruto.

By now many of Konoha's villagers were awake, between the fires, the shouting, and the constant explosions, but when they saw their 6th battling one of their most feared opponants, they all just seemed to stare in a daze, at the amazing battle going on before their eyes.

Itachi ran at Naruto trowing shurican as he went, distracted by blocking all the projectiles, Naruto was caught off guard and Itachi landed a clean blow on Naruto's chest, he went flying into a building behind him.

"His strength...could it be he can control his chakra to the extent of Sakura-chan.", Naruto thought. Then he looked up to see what building he had run into. "Just great..., my house."

Itachi ran at Naruto again.

"Fine, I'll meet you head on.", Naruto said.

Naruto ran at him, with one hand behind his back. Just as they were about to clash.

"Gotcha, Rasengan!", Naruto yelled.

Naruto's attack met Itachi's fist, and once again the two found themselves flying backward.

"To think the brat has met all of my attacks with equal skill.", Itachi thought. "Sun's almost up, I'll try one more thing..."

Itachi leaped into the air and tossed a kuni at Naruto.

"Kage Bunshin Kuni no Jutsu!", Itachi yelled.

The one kuni became one-thousand, raining down on Naruto.

"Tajuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

One-thounsand Naruto's caught one-thousand kuni's and threw them all at Itashi.

"Mangekyou Sharingan, Amaterasu!"

With that all the kuni caught fire. Naruto had to sheild his eyes from blaze.

"Amaterasu.", Naruto thought to himself. "It will burn for seven days, unless I use this."

Naruto pulled out a skroll.

"Fire Sealing Jutsu!", and with that the fires were put out.

When Naruto looked around Itachi was nowhere to be found. Naruto looked at all the villagers peeking out of their windows.

"Uh..., sorry about that.", Nauto said as he headed off to the spot where he assumed the others to be with Kisame.

---with Kisame and Gai---

Kisame and Gai huffed and puffed with exhostion from the battle.

"Ha, your weakening!", Gai shouted out, obviously just as tired.

"Hey!"

Kisame turned around to see the 6th hokage with a look of pure pride on his face.

"Your parter", Naruto said, "just took off."

"Huh?", Kisame said.

"The sun's rising", Sakura said to herself, looking behind Naruto.

"Well then", aparently hearing Sakura, "that is my cue to leave.", and with that Kisame dissolved into nothing more than a puddle.

Naruto looked around. He walked up to Kakashi, who seemed to be waking up.

"You got beat by fish-boy!", Naruto said in a joking voice pointing at Kakashi. "who loses to a guy with a face like a shark."

"Naruto", Kakashi said, thinking of the way the 5th responded to his first incounter with Itachi and Kisame.

"Yeah."

"...Shut-up."

* * *

This ends Chapter 4 of The Last Shinobi War


	5. Journey to the Rain

Chapter 5 comin at ya.

I do not own the Naruto franchise, or any of its characters.

* * *

Three Months Earlier

"Its a three day trip to the rain village.", Ino thought to herself. "I've got." At this Ino looked over her sholder and closed her eyes in consintration. "About one-fifty nins backing me up. We originaly sent." Ino pulled out the letter Sai had send Naruto, asking for reinforcments. "Two-hundred, meaning, if Sai's kills to losses ratio is correct, he should still have about one-hundrend left by the time I reach the village. That would make our total numbers two-fifty. I hope thats enough..."

---three days later---

Ino stands at the edge of the hidden rain village.

"Damn it.", Ino said fumbling with her hair. "When they said hidden "rain" village, I never thought they ment it literaly."

"General Yamanaka.", a chunin said, walking up to Ino. "The is no evidence of a conflict going on here."

Ino looked at the village, it was perfectly intact, and there were no signs of shinobi conflic.

"Clearly we're caught in their genjutsu.", Ino said, looking proud of her intelegance. "The rain village is know for it."

At that Ino made the sign of the ram, and started muttering something to herself.

"Oh my God...", escaped the chunin girl's lips. At this Ino opened her eyes.

"This place, it's so..., did Sai do this?" Ino said in horor. 'He wouldn't.", Ino thought to her self.

There before Ino and her army was what could only be called the remains of the former hidden rain village. A massive pile of rubble miles long stood before them. Even in the rain, everything was burning as if an ounce of water had never touched it.

"What do we do?", the chunin asked.

"I don't know?", Ino said. "We need to inform the 6th of this. This must be the work of another village, possible lead by..."

"General Yamanaka? Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine.", Ino said, snapping out of her daze. "If you did anything to him Uchiha, I swear I'll kill you.", Ino thought to her self. "Ptf, like I could follow through with that threat.", Ino said out loud this time.

"General?"

"I'm fine, really.", Ino said to the chunin. "Sai...", Ino whispered to herself. "please be ok."

Just then a giant explosion came from the center of the village.

"Sai!", Ino yelled, rushing into the village.

"General!", the chunin girl yelled, chasing after Ino.

Another exposion, this time bigger. Rubble went flying everywhere.

"I can barely see.", Ino said, using her arms to try and block some of the dust and trash being blown around from getting in her eyes. Finaly she reached the center of the village.

"Sai!", she yelled.

Another explosion.

"Ino!", Sai yelled, being blown backward after being caught of guard. "Run! This is far too dangerous!"

Ino looked down at Sai's opponent.

"You're.", Ino said looking at the Akatsuki member. "Deidara, of the Rock!"

Ino had never seen him personaly, but remembered the day Naruto had everyone study up on Akatsuki's members.

"So, you've heard of me?", Deidara, said. "Sorry I can't say the same. This guy here.", Deidara said pointing at Sai. "Is he your boyfriend or something?"

"What!". Ino burst out.

"Because.", Deidara said in an evil way. "it would be unfortunate if something was to happen to him." At that he snaped his fingers and Sai's body exploded infront of Ino's eyes.

Ino fell to her knees, and then she felt a hand on her sholder.

"Sai?", she whispered.

"Clone, eh?", Deidara said.

"Did Naruto recieve my messege?", Sai asked Ino.

"Yeah, and we brought more troops for the battle, but...", it was obvious what the rest of that sentence was, as Ino looked around at the rubble.

"The battle was going ok.", Sai said. "I needed some minimal backup, so I sent word to the 6th, soon after that I left the village to retreive some herbs for my med nins, then when I returned...", at that Sai looked at Deiddara.

"Boom.", Deidara said with a look of utter pride on his face.

"You monster.", Ino said.

"And you know what?", Deidara said. "Boom again."

And with that a massive explosion was seen in the distance.

"Wha?", Ino said.

"The location of your troops, I presume."

"Oh my God...", Ino trailed off.

"You'll pay dearly for what you have done today.", Sai said.

Just then the chunin girl who had followed Ino into the village ran up to her general. Just before she reached her.

"Stop right there.", Sai said. "Its not safe for you to come any further."

"We can't stop him...", Ino whispered. Then she realized the only answer. "Here!", she said looking at the chunin, taking out some paper and scribling something on it. "Make sure this reaches the 6h.", she handed the paper to the girl. The young chunin just stood there for a second not understanding what was going on. "Run!", Ino yelled, and the girl dashed off.

The chunin girl didn't get fifty feet away before she droped to the ground.

"She?", Ino looked in disbelief.

"Ah, Tobi.", Deidara said.

Tobi walked up to the body of the, clearly deseased, chunin and extracted a needle from the back of her neck. Deidara looked at him.

"I hit a vital, don't worry.", Tobi said.

"This...", Ino said muttered. "Its all so..."

"The hidden leaf." Tobi said, looking at Ino. "has suffered many losses in this war. A jonin level ninja should not be effected by the sight of death."

"You don't know the Leaf.", Deidara said to Tobi. "They care more about their happy peaceful lifestyle than training."

"How sad." Tobi said.

"Shut-up!", Ino yelled getting to her feat. "Sai, you take Mr. Noface, our explosive friend...is mine."

"Hmm..., I wonder?", Tobi said. "What can you do against the likes of us?"

---twenty-four days later---

"They're right through here sir."

Itachi walked up to Sai.

"You look like my brother.", Itachi said. "And you." He looked over at Ino. "Are of the leaf's Yamanaka clan."

"Uchiha Itachi.", Sai said, in a heavy voice.

"Tell me.", Itachi said. "Do you two know anything of a scroll that came into the possestion of one of your comrads."

"There are many scrolls.", Sai said. "And we have many comrads."

"Fine.", At this word Itachi activated his sharingan. "If you lie, I will know." He walked up to Ino and put a kuni to her throut. "Tell me; When the sand's former kazekage passed through the rain village, apoximately two months ago, did you make contact with him. Lie and I kill the girl."

"No." Sai said. "In thruth I was unaware of his presence,had I know he was in the village I would have asked him to assist in the battle."

At this Itachi seemed satisfied, he turned around and walked out of the room.

"Sai...", Ino muttered, still not really awake.

"Don't worry about anything.", Sai said. "I've thought of something."

"Thanks...", at this Ino fell back asleep.

Sai and Ino had been defeated and captured almost one month ago, and were now being held in a cave in the Rain country. To prevent escape, special jutsus were being used to keep the two Konoha shinobi in a sleepy state.

"Go.", Sai whispered at one of his little chakra birds he had drawn in the sand.

The bird flew out of the cave, unoticed. As it passed by the remains of the hidden rain village, it grabed a letter out of a young chunin's hand...

* * *

Chapter 5: Journey to the Rain

The funeral for Undon was the next day. Iruka Umino was upset he was unable to attend, but just that morning he had orders to leave for the Wind country. Konohamaru seemed to get himself together in time for the service, enough to speak. After that Kakashi went with Konohamaru to the K.I.A. stone, where Undon's name was carved. Naruto, despite wanting to stay with his old friend, had to get back to his office and check up on all the reports from the frontline.

A knock came at Naruto's door.

"Come in. Oh, Sakura-chan"

"Hey Naruto, I was wondering.'

"Yeah."

"Well, Its been almost three months now since Ino left the village and I'm getting worried. Hasn't she at least sent word of some kind."

"Now that you mentioned it..."

Naruto suddenly remembered the day before when Hinata came in.

"Here it is.", Naruto said holding up Ino's letter.

Sakura snatched it up and started to read it. Her face fell.

"Naruto."

"Sakura, what is it? You look woried."

"Here.", Sakura said, now looking scared.

Sai and me cornered. Village gone. Akatsuki.

-Ino

"Damn!" Naruto jumped to his feet. "Well come on!" Naruto said looking at Sakura with one of his confident smiles.

"Yeah."

As they ran out the door Naruto started doing a special jutsu, when he and Sakura reached the village gate he held up one of his hands, almost automaticaly Kakashi, Hinata, and Shikamaru apeared.

"Lord hokage!", they said in unison.

"Ok, everyone!", Naruto said. "We're heading for the hidden rain village to locate and assit general Sai and Yamanaka Ino.

"Yes sir!", they all said.

"Well.", Naruto said. "What are we waiting for."  
At that they all dased out of the village.

---two days into the journey---

"Naruto.", Kakashi asked, as he ran at full speed. "You still haven't briefed us on what we will encounter on this mission."

"Oh, yeah.", Naruto said. "We're going to assit Ino and Sai against two Akatsuki members, who aparently destroyed the hidden rain."

The fact that Naruto said this so calmly silenced everyone. They didn't know if they should be proud that their hokage didn't seem to fear a power that destroyed an entire village, or if they should be disturbed that he spoke of this destruction so lightly. Then...

"Ow.", Naruto had run stright on into mound.

"I hear, you guys are after trouble."

The mound molded into the familier image of Gaara.

"Hey Gaara!", Naruto said. "Good to see ya, but we're in a hurry so..."

"I know.", he said. "My third eye, that watches over Konoha showed your departure to me. You do realize that you left no one in charge of Konoha, you can't just run off like that."

"You underestimate my intelegence", Naruto said smugly.

At this everyone gave a sort of sniker.

"After my last departure I gave a list to the council of who would take my place in my absince.", Naruto said.

"Hm, I hope they're up to the job, no telling what will happen if word gets out that so many of Konoha's elite are absant from the village.", Gaara said.

"They'll be fine.", Naruto said with a smile.

"Well then.", Gaara said, "what are we waiting here for, if you were as informed on the situation as I was, you wouldn't have taken the time to stop and talk to me."

At this Sakura got a scared look on her face.

"Gaara...", Naruto said, seeing Sakura's face.

"Sorry, but its true."

"Well then, think you could whip us up another of those carpets.", Naruto said.

"Thats why I'm here.", Gaara said.

With that he raised a carpet of sand, much like the one that had brought him and Naruto to the leaf's aid, but large enough for six.

"Lets go.", Gaara said.

Everyone looked very confused. Naruto hoped on and Hinata followed suit, then Shikamaru, Sakura, Kakashi, and finaly Gaara.

"Hold on!", Gaara yelled.

And they were off.

---above the remains of the hidden rain---

Everyone looked in awe.

"If I would have known that they would go this far, I would have never come here.", Gaara said.

"Don't blame yourself.", Naruto said.

"I asume your finaly going to explain whats been going on, Naruto.", Kakashi said. "What did you and Gaara do during those three months."

"Sorry Kakashi-sensei", Naruto said, "but, there's really no time for it now."

Kakashi looked slightly anoyed at being left so out of the loop.

"Gaara you passed the village.", Sakura anounced, unessicarily.

"Ino and Sai are a little ways farther.", Gaara said.

The carpet came to a stop a the back of a mountain.

Gaara did a special jutsu and the mountain wall yielded a door.

"This passage was created by the 2nd kazekage, I assume Akatsuki doesn't know about it.", Gaara said. "You three.", at this Gaara pointed at Kakashi, Shikamaru, and Sakura, who were getting off the carpet. Stay where you are. You." He pointed at Hinata. Then he looked at Naruto. "I asume you've told her."

"Yeah...", Naruto said. "About that..."

"I don't care.", Gaara said. "She knows, so she can help."

"Hey!", Sakura yelled. "I don't get this at all, what are we supposed to do!'

"Your backup.", Gaara said.

"Humf.", Sakura said, looking offended.

"What a drag.", Shikamaru said.

With that the three shinobi crossed over the threshold.

* * *

This ends chapter 5 of The Last Shinobi War. Please Read and Review


	6. Infiltration Investigation

Ok, I know, its been like a week since my last update, but I've been very busy and I'm still very busy, but I'll try to come out with the chapters at resonable times. This chapter doesn't really have a "backstory" to it, because now we're really getting to the meat of the story. There probably won't be backstory again till chapter eight, I think. So, here's chapter six, enjoy.

I don't own the Naruto franchise or any of its characters.

* * *

**Chapter 6:** _**Infiltration Investigation**_

Ino felt herself being lifted up and guided out of the room. She was still half asleep and didn't understand what was going on.

"Sai?", she said in a confused voice.

"No, but don't worry.", an organization member said. "Your little friend is right here."

"Where are you taking us.", Ino asked, still unable to focus her vision.

"I was given the order to take you to see our nagotiator.", the Akatsuki member said.

"Itachi...", Sai muttered.

"You ok?", Ino said, releived that Sai was awake.

"Yeah.", he said.

"You two.", Zetsu said. "Are to be quite. You can do all the talking you want, to Itachi."

"We already told him", Ino said with frustration. "We don't know anything about Gaara."

"This is no longer a matter of the kazekage.", Zetsu said.

"You'll get nothing out of us.", Sai said. "That is if there were anything to get. However, I doubt we have the information you want."

"Didn't I say to be quiet.", Zetsu said.

Zetsu carried the two shinobi to a dim lit room and left them, aparently with no concern of their escape. There was one chair.

"You two are on the floor.", Zetsu said. "The chair is for your interigator."

"I thought he was a negotiator.", Ino said.

"Well.", Zetsu said. "Depends on what mood you catch him in, doesn't it. In this room you won't be bound physicaly, so try to escape if you like, it is futile."

With that Zetsu left the two ninja.

"The effects of this stuff is wearing off.", Ino said. "What do you think our chances of escaping are, if we can complately regain consiousness."

"Low.", Sai said. "This is most likely their main base, for the time being at least, which means we'd be going through any Akatsuki members that weren't on a mission."

"But, we have to try.", Ino said, slightly discouraged by Sai.

"Don't worry.", Sai said. "I made sure your message got out."

"Huh?", Ino said.

Just then Uchiha Itachi stepped into the room. He walked quietly over to the chair and sat down. He then unzipped the upper part of his cloak so he could speak easier. For what seemed like hours he just store at them. And then.

"A few days ago.", Itachi said. "I came into contact with the hokage of the hidden leaf."

"Naruto.", Ino said, more to herself than anyone.

"And I was suprised to see.", Itachi continued. "That he had aparently spent a signifigant amount of time with the scroll that I previously questioned you about."

"Is that so?", Sai said. "Then it seems you have the wrong people."

"Tell me.", Itachi said. "How long has the hokage known of your presence here."

"I'm afraid he doesn't.", Sai said with that fake smile on his face, even though he lost that smile many years ago, around his friends, it still seemed to come out when he was getting anoyed.

"Don't lie to me Konoha scum.", Itachi said, sharingan now clearly visible.

Ino was now very confused. "Did Naruto know they were there? And if he did how'd he find out." Ino's thoughts were racing. "What could have happened since they'd been gone, and how long had they been gone?"

"Let me get to the point.", Itachi directed at Sai, apparently disregarding that Ino was even in the room. "I would very much like to know any information you have on the activities of the hokage along with an estimate on how long it will be before he arives here."

"No.", Sai simply said.

"I don't think you understand me.", Itachi said, now slightly anoyed. "If you will not tell me what I want to know willyingly I can easily force it out of you."

Ino now looked over at Sai, very worried.

Sai leaned back against the wall and looked straight at Itachi. "Yell, scream, get angry, fight back, do what you want, I choose to sit here quietly."

"Fine.", Itachi said. "I see that you will not betray the leaf."

Itachi walked up to Sai and looked him right in the eye.

"Mangekyou Sharingan!"

---outside the cave---

The three shinobi that had been left outside the cave had assumed possitions around the entrance. Shikamaru was laying on his back looking up at the clouds. Kakashi was leaning up against the cave wall to the left of the entrance, seemingly as bored with the situation as Shikamaru. Sakura was the only one who seemed unable to relax. She was pacing around the entrance of the cave, like something might jump out and attack her any minute.

"How can you guys just stand around like this!", Sakura said to Kakashi and Shikamaru.

"Technicaly.", Shikamaru said. "I'm laying around."

At this Sakura gave Shiramaru a punch to the chest and with a frustrated look, continued her pacing.

---inside---

"Gaara.", Naruto said. "It feels like we've been walking around for hours, any idea how much longer this will take."

"This cave.", Gaara jestured around. "Is under a very powerful genjutsu, used by Akatsuki. Every minute we are here will seem like a hour of that equivilant. Though it seems we've been here almost half a day, we have barely left the entrance."

"Are you serious!", Naruto said, now very frustrated with the situation.

"The jutsu.", Gaara continued. "Is used on the cave in general, to confuse any that have been captured. To Ino and Sai, it has been half a year since that letter was sent to you about their capture."

"But thats barely been three days.", Naruto said in disbelief.

"Thats the point of this.", Gaara said. "To use time, to discourage any hope of survival."

"This place is horable.", Hinata said. She wished she hadn't though, because just then she got a look from Gaara. "He realy was upset.", Hinata thought to herself.

"I'm sorry.", Gaara said, not looking at, but aparently directing towards Hinata. "Its just the more people that know of this the worse the situation grows. You saw what had been unleashed upon the Rain, simply because there was a hint of my presense there."

"Its fine.", Hinata said.

Naruto looked at the both of them and tryed to change the subject.

"So.", Naruto said. "About how long of a walk are we looking at."

"It takes one hour.", Gaara said. "So it will feel like two and a half days."

Naruto gave a look utter depression, with the thought of walking for two and a half days. At this Hinata gave a small smile.

"If there's anything he's not,", she thought to herself. "it's patient."

"Look on the bright side.", Gaara said. "Feels like we've been walking around for half a day, so only two more days left."

This did not help Naruto at all.

---48 minutes later---

"This is it.", Gaara said.

Naruto looked like he could explode with excitement.

"Ok.", Naruto said. "No time to waste, lets find Sai and Ino!"

"Calm down.", Gaara said. "While we're here, we need to gather as much information on Akatsuki as we can."

"You mean.", Naruto said. "like an investigation."

"Exactly.", Gaara said.

At this Naruto's face fell, once again.

"Hyuga.", Gaara said, looking at Hinata. "Use your Byakugan to search the area."

"Sure.", Hinata said.

"Byakugan!", she said, as her white eyes activated.

Hinata looked around, the large area they were in seemed to be some sort of entrance hall, which was odd seeing as they used a, hopefully unknown entrance. There were three passage ways infront of them. The one to the far left seemed to lead underground, the path to the right seemed to lead up, while the middle path lead straight on. Hinata could see farther down the middle path, since it lead straight.

"There are two people.", Hinata said. "Down the middle path."

"Then lets go!", Naruto said, now getting excited again. "It could be Sai and Ino."

"Or", Gaara said. "It could be one of the many pairs of Akatsuki members."

"Well if it is.", Naruto said. "we'll just have to take them out and then we can make them tell us where Sai and Ino are."

Gaara seemed to be ignoring Naruto completely now, more forcused on the passage.

"Third eye jutsu.", Gaara said.

An eye of sand apeared in his hand and flew down the middle path.

"I'll see who they are.", Gaara said.

The third eye floated down the path, and eventualy came to the two figures.

"It does apear to be them.", Gaara said, unconvinced.

Now very impatient, Naruto set off down the middle path.

"Wait up, Naruto-kun.", Hinata said as she rushed off after him.

Naruto reached the two shinobi, closely followed by Gaara. It was a dark room with one chair, Sai was leaning against the wall. Just as the two looked up, a wave of sand blew Sai through the wall, at almost the same moment Naruto punched Ino right in the face and she went flying.

"You really do underestimate us, don't you?", Gaara said.

Hidan and Kakuzu emerged from the ruble.

"We could say the same to you.", Hidan said.

"Yes", Kakuzu agreed. "Its seems you underestimated our knowlegde of your presence."

"Wait, if you knew we were here." Gaara said to himself. "The entrance!", he yelled.

Hinata spun around to look at the way they came.

"Byakugan!"

---outside---

"Seriously", Shikamaru said. "Calm down Sakura. Nothing is going to jump out and attack us if you sit down."

"Fine.", Sakura said, after an hour of pacing around. Sakura sat down near Shikamaru.

"What the?", Kakashi said as he jumped away from the cave.

Just then the entire entrance wall blew to pieces. Shikamaru and Sakura jumped to their feet.

"Hi there.", Deidara said.

The three shinobi looked at the two Akatsuki members in shock for a few seconds until Deidara burst out.

"You.", he said, pointing at Kakashi. "You're the one who took my arm. If I had know it was you they were sending me after, I would have prepared somehting special."

"Good to know.", Kakashi said.

"And you.", Deidara pointed at Sakura. "Your the one you killed Sasori with that old sand bat."

"Well, you sure seem aquainted with these people.", Tobi said to Deidara.

"Yeah.", Deidara said. "So why are you guys just sitting around out here, don't tell me you didn't know this was our base."

"We're here because you have two of our comrads.", Sakura said.

"Yet, you just sitting out here doing nothing to help them.", Tobi replied.

At that Sakura's eye twitched.

"Sakura.", Shikamaru said to Sakura. "Don't do anything to make this more troublsome than it already is."

"Don't want anything troublsome, eh?", Deidara said. "I'm afraid its far to late for that."

Just then a massive clay worm rose up out of the ground just under the three Konoha shinobi and with a snap of Deidara's fingers it exploded.

"Too easy.", Tobi said.

"Yeah.", Deidara replied. "Lets go look for them."

---inside---

Just as Hinata caught sight of them, she shielded her eyes. Deidara's explosion could be heard from the interigation room.

"You bastards.", Naruto said. "if anything happens to them, I won't hestitate to destroy this entire organization."

"Funny.", Kakuzu said.

"Its true.", Gaara said. "I wouldn't underestimate the hokage of the hidden leaf."

"You would be the one to say that.", Hidan replied.

"Let us get to the point.", Kakuzu said. "We have been given orders to capture the 5th kazekage and the 6th hokage, and to kill anyone else with them."

At that he glanced at Hinata.

"I'd like to see you try.", Naruto said, stepping infront of Hinata.

Just then Hidan apeared behind Hinata and slit her throught with his scythe.

"She was a clone, eh?", Hidan said. "Where's the real one?"

"I wouldn't know.", Naruto replied. "In truth, Gaara isn't here either."

At that Gaara disapeared in a cloud of smoke.

"Its just me against you two.", Naruto said to the two Akatsuki members.

---down the right path---

Hinata was dashing as fast is she could, scaning rooms with her Byakugan, looking for Sai and Ino.

"Mabye splitting up wasn't such a good idea.", Hinata thought to herself.

---minutes earlier---

"Hinata, Gaara.", Naruto said. "Its obvious those are probably traps up ahead and not Sai and Ino. You guys take the other paths and keep searching, I'll take care of whatevers up ahead."

"Here.", Gaara said raising a clone from the sand. "We need them to think we're still all together."

"Good idea.", Hinata said, making a clone of herself. "I'll take the path to the right."

"I'm to the left then.", Gaara said.

"Be careful you guys.", Naruto said and he dashed off towards the middle path.

---down the left path---

"This goes on forever.", Gaara said to himself, as he walked down the winding staircase. He finaly came to what seemed to be the end.

"Great.", Gaara said.

He was now staring down a long hall with rooms on either side of the walls.

"I guess I search each one.", he said.

After a few minutes of searching empty rooms, Gaara came to one with a letter on a table.

"Whats this?", Gaara said.

_Taking them to the Hidden Waterfall._

_-Suzaku, Nanju_

"Suzuku.", Gaara said to himself. "Thats the ring of the right finger, on the right hand-Itachi and Nanju, thats the ring finger of the left hand-Kisame."

Gaara contimplated this. Then after a few moments he turned and ran back up the stairs.

"So they've been taken.", Gaara thought to himself. "I need to alert Naruto imediately."

* * *

This ends chapter 6 of The Last Shinobi War.


	7. Akatsuki vs Konoha

Ok, since it took me a while to get out chapter six I desided to make a quick update with chapter seven, chapter eight might be a while though, because I'm going out of town soon. Anyway, not really any backstory in this one either, chapter eight should have some though. So, here's chapter seven, enjoy.

I do not own the Naruto franchise or any of its characters.

* * *

**Chapter 7: _Akatsuki vs. Konoha_**

Kakashi looked around.

"Shikamaru.", he whispered.

Kakashi leaped to his left behind the rock Shikamaru was hiding at.

"Any idea where Sakura is?", Kakashi asked.

"No.", Shikamaru answered. "I thought she'd be with you."  
"I'm right here.", Sakura said.

Sakura leapt down from a tree and landed next to Kakashi.

"Got any plans for an attack Shikamaru?", Sakura asked.

"Well.", Shikamaru said. "That guy that was with Deidara, Tobi, I don't know a lot about him, so it might be hard to come up with a stradegy to take him out."

"Don't worry you guys.", Kakashi said. "I've thought of something."

---with Naruto---

"So are you going to start this or should I?", Naruto said to the two Akatsuki members.

"Be my guest.", Kakuzu said.

Naruto pulled out a kuni in each hand and surounded them with wind type chakra and threw them at the two members.

"Hmf.", Hidan said, he held up his scythe the block the kuni.

"Fool.", Kakuzu said. "Move your head."

The kuni Naruto threw at Hidan went right through his scythe and would have killed him, if Kakuzu hadn't told him to move.

"Thanks for that.", Hidan said. "So you use the wind element, I think I remember Itachi mentioning that. However, he stated that you used it in the form of a gust."

"Well if you'd rather I did.", Naruto said.

At this he held up his arms and two gust of wind shot out of his sleeves. Kakuzu jumped infront of Hidan and blocked the blast with his arms.

"He's really strong.", Naruto thought.

After a few moments of struggling Naruto's gust blew the two Akatsuki members back through the cave wall, out into the open.

---outside---

"Well this is a drag.", Tobi said to himself.

"My thoughts exactly."

Tobi looked up to see Shikamaru standing in a tree above him.

"You!", Tobi said.

Tobi went to attack and then realized he couldn't move.

"Pft, a shadow bind jutsu.", Tobi said in a moking tone.  
"Yeah.", Shikamaru said. "What of it?"

"Such weak jutsu have no effect on me.", Tobi said.

"I wouldn't be so sure of that.", Shikamaru said.

Just then Sakura came out of nowhere and with full force punched Tobi right in the gut. Tobi went flying backward.

"Nice one Shikamaru.", Sakura said.

---elsewhere outside---

Kakashi looked around.

"Where are you?", he thought to himself.

"Looking for me?"

There was an explosion under Kakashi's feet and he had to leap out of the way fast to avoid any injury.

"You'll do.", Kakashi said.

"I asure you.", Deidara said. "I will."

Deidara threw a clay bird at Kakashi, who tossed a shurican at it, there was a explosion, and Kakashi jumped to the tops of the trees. Deidara flew up above the trees on one of his birds.

"You know.", Deidara said. "You own me one."

At that he patted his right arm.

"So which will it be?", Deidara said.

"Which will what be?", Kakashi asked.

"I'm giving you a choice.", Deidara said. "Do you want to lose the right arm, or the left?"

"Lets go with neither.", Kakashi said.

"If you're not going to choose", Deidara said. "I'll choose for you."

There was another explosion off in the distance.

"Hm, wasn't me.", Deidara said.

Kakashi looked out at the back of the cave they had been gaurding, when the smoke of the explosion cleared a massive toad stood among the forest.

---with Naruto---

Naruto walked through the hole he had made in the wall.

"You guys.", Naruto said. "You think your really something special."

Hidan and Kakuzu got up from the attack that they had taken.

"I'm tired of this.", Naruto said. "Its just like your organization to capture innocents without even thinking of it. Just like you did with Gaara and all the other Jinchuuriki. Now, where are Sai and Ino."

"We have no obligation to tell you.", Kakuzu said.

"Yeah.", Hidan said. "You think just cause you blew some smoke your on our level."

"On your level.", Naruto said. "I'm not on your level at all."

At this the two Akatsuki members chukled.

"I'm", Naruto continued. "miles past it."

Hidan and Kakuzu stoped their chuckling and looked up.

"Your looking at the greatest ninja of the hidden leaf.", Nartuto said with pride. "Me, Naruto, the 6th hokage. Summoning No Jutsu!"

Gamabunta, the boss toad rose from the smoke of Naruto's jutsu. Hidan and Kakuzu looked on as if staring down one of the many tailed beast they had been forced to fight over the years.

"Good to see you", Gamabunta said. "the 6th."

"Lets finish this.", Naruto said.

---inside the cave---

"What was that explosion?", Hinata said. "Byakugan!"

Hinata looked around, it took about five seconds for her to spot the hundred meter high toad.

"Naruto...", she whispered.

---outside---

"I can't use the mangekyou sharingan, like last time.", Kakashi thought to himself. "I'll be in the hospital for days."

Kakashi was jumping from tree to tree dodging blows from Deidara.

"Come back here!", Deidara yelled at Kakashi. "Your not afaid are you?"

Just then an explosive came flying at Kakashi, there was no way to dodge it, then..

"Gaara!", Kakashi said in surprise.

A wave of sand had come up and blocked the clay from blowing Kakashi to pieces.

"I was looking for Naruto.", Gaara said. "but he seems to be handling himself just fine."

At this Gaara tilted his head towards Gamabunta.

"Yeah.", Kakashi said. "saw that."

"Its been awhile.", Deidara said looking at Gaara. "Last time, if I remember correct, you didn't come out so well."

"Well", Gaara said. "lets see you can pull it off again."

Gaara looked at Kakashi.

"Go help Sakura and Shikamaru.", Gaara said. "He's mine."

---meanwhile outside---

"See him anywhere?", Sakura asked Shikamaru.

"Nope.", Shikamaru replied. "He must have run off after that punch of yours."  
"Kinda pitiful for an Akatsuki.", Sakura said.

It was then that Sakura and Shikamaru heard the explosion and turned to see Naruto's massive summoning.

"Naruto!", Sakura yelled.

"Don't get so worked up.", Shikamaru said. "If anything I'd be woried about those Akatsuki."

Sakura gave Shikamaru a punch to the chest.

"Come on!", Sakura yelled as she dashed off toward Naruto.

"Women...", Shikamaru thought as he leaped after Sakura.

---elsewhere outside----

"Thats huge!", Hidan said.

"Uh, yeah, you idiot.", Kakuzu said.

"So what do we do?", Hidan asked.

"Handle it like if we were fighting a Jinchuriki.", Kakuzu said.

"Just great.", Hidan said sarcasticaly.

"Hey guys."

"Tobi.", Hidan and Kakuzu said in unison.

"You guys looked like you needed help.", Tobi said.

"Where's Deidara?", Kakuzu said.

"The kazekage's got him busy.", Tobi said.

"Hey you down there!", Naruto yelled. "Are you going to tell me where Ino and Sai are, or am I going to have force it out of you."

At this Gamabunta unsheathed his sword. Thats when Deidara came flying by on one of his clay birds and landed next to the other Akatsuki members.

"Sandman is down for the count again.", Deidara said with a look of pride.

"So.", Hiden said. "Four of us against a really big toad and a bratty kage."

"Shouldn't be too hard.", Kakuzu said.

"Well.", Naruto said. "Make that two kage and three jonin against three of you guys."

At this there were three puffs of smoke on top of Gamabunta and Kakashi, Sakura and Shikamaru apeared. Then a mound of sand on top of the toad boss rose up to form Gaara."

"Huh?", Hidan said. "I thought you took care of him."

"Sorry about that.", Gaara said, and with a snap of his fingers the fake Deidara turned to sand.

"I'm gonna go get Hinata.", Naruto said. "I'm sure you guys can handle this."

"No problem.", Sakura said.

"Gamabunta.", Naruto said. "Help them out." At that Naruto leaped off the boss toad and headed toward the cave.

---inside---

Hinata was in a small room going threw papers on a desk.

"Nothing too interesting.", she said to herself. "Reports of Jinchuriki locations. A list of the ones that were captured, Naruto seems to be the only one left."

At that Hinata got a little scared, too think they were able to capture all the others.

"Whats this.", she said, looking at a certain piece of paper.

_Orochimaru_

_year one-Sound_

_year two-Rock_

_year three-Rain_

_year four-Grass_

_year five-Snow_

_year six-Mist_

_year seven-Cloud_

_year eight-Star_

_year nine-Waterfall_

_year ten-?_

"This is a list of Orochimaru's whereabouts during the war.", Hinata said. "And by looking at it his location this year will be either the hidden Moon, Sand, or Leaf. The hidden Moon is the most secluded, so he'll probably be there."

At this Hinata got fairly excited about the situation.

"This will be great news for Naruto-kun.", she said aloud.

"What will.", Naruto answered, finaly coming across Hinata.

"Oh, I found some information.", Hinata said holding up the paper.

"Thats great, but.", Naruto was cut off by a large explosion outside.

"Yeah, we sould get out there.", Hinata said.

Just then the entire cave wall was destoyed by Gamabunta flying through it.

"Looks like they need our help.", Naruto said.

He and Hinata jumped over on to Gamabunta. The others were on the ground fighting, aparently Zetsu had joined the battle too.

"Hinata.", Naruto said. "Jump down and tell the others to get out of the way."

"Ok.", Hinata said, wondering what Naruto was up to.

Everyone scattered, the Akatsuki members were about to follow when Naruto yelled out.

"Its just me and you guys. Now I'll show you the power of a hokage!"

"Brace yourself.", Zetsu said to the others.

"Same as with Shukaku.", Naruto said. "Ok Gamabunta."

"Gotcha.", the toad boss replied.

"Transform!", Naruto yelled.

From the smoke of the jutsu rose the nine-tailed fox. The members of Akatsuki members stood in awe of the mighty beast. With one mighty swoop of the fox, all the organization members were completely unable to continue. Naruto jumped down from Gamabunta, who disapeared in a puff of smoke.

"Thanks.", Naruto said to the toad boss.

Naruto walked up to the Akatsuki members, did a short justu and they were all bound to the ground. It was around the moment that Gaara and the others walked up, Gaara carring a knoked out Deidara, who he threw down beside the other Akatsuki.

"Now.", Naruto said. "Where are Sai and Ino."

"Like we'd tell you.", Hidan said.

"Your in no place to refuse information.", Kakshi said.

"Or are we?", Kakuzu said, and with that all five of the Akatsuki members turned into shinobi of the Rain.

"Just like the jutsu Itachi and Kisame used when Gaara was captured.", Sakura said.

"I can't beleive it.", Naruto said. "This base has probably abandoned for weeks."

"It doesn't matter.", Gaara said.

"Huh?", Naruto said.

"I found a letter in the cave.", Gaara said, handing the letter to Naruto.

Naruto read it, and as if he had suffered no exhaustion from the events of the day said.

"Well Gaara whip us up another carpet, we're going to the hidden waterfall!"

Everyone sighed.

"Naruto.", Kakashi said. "I know you want to find Sai and Ino, but don't you think we can rest tonight, we haven't stoped since we left Konoha."

"Well", Naruto said. "I guess so."

Everyone worked to set up the tents they had brought. Naruto fixed everyone some instant ramen he had packed. And after all his hyperactive activity, Naruto was the first one to fall asleep.

* * *

This ends chapter 7 of The Last Shinobi War, please Read&Review.


	8. Death of a Hero

August 7th, I don't know about where you live, but for me it meant school started. With school back in I'm going to have less and less time to write, yet I feal I'll have more inspiration, so in the end its ok. Today I started the slow process of making an illustration for each of my chapters, which can be found in my profile, so give it a look. The first chapter I did an illistration for was Chapter 4, I'm workinig on two pictures for Chapter 1 and a Chapter 7 picture, but with school and other stuff I really don't have a lot of free time so, drawing updates will be slow. Now that we've reached a stop in the action, sorta, I mean, Ino and Sai are still out there, but Naruto and the gang are kinda chillin in their tents right now, so there's a stop in the action. That means its time for more background and mabye some focus on characters in other places, after all, we haven't checked in on Konoha since our heros left the village and a certain Uchiha has been very neglected since his only apperance in the first chapter. Chapter 8, coming at ya.

I don't own the Naruto franchise, or any of its characters.

**Chapter 8:** _Death of a Hero_

_It is said that the eyes grow used to the darkness. Over time they will regect the light enirely, as does the heart, as does the soul._

---one year ago---

"The time has come. You will march on the their gates in two days."

"Understood."

He walked out of the room and turned down the pathway.

"How many days?", he thought to himself. "How long have I traveled down these halls? Tommorow, I shall step into the outside world again. Their world. But, soon I will take that world of their's from them. I will make it burn before their very eyes, and then, only then, will I be able to kill "him".

The halls were dark, but he knew the ways around them, he saw through the darkness, or mabye it would be better stated that he was the darkness. He walked to his room and sat on his bed. Then as he closed his eyes to rest he sat up. Someone was at his doorway.

"It's in two days."

"And?", he said.

"If you disapoint him it would be most unfortunate."

Before the words had barely escaped the man's mouth he had him pinned to the wall, his hand on the man's throat.

"You of all people should know that I am no longer to be scolded by those inferior to me. Should you forget your place again, I'll kill you."

With that Sasuke kneed Kabuto in the chest and knocked him out. Sasuke stepped out of his room and threw Kabuto off in a random direction, not really caring were he landed, or where he was when he woke up. After that Sasuke turned back into his room and layed down to rest, but he knew he would not have the pleasure of sleep, that was something he had given up a long time ago.

---morning---

Morning. He could tell. Sasuke arose from his bed and got ready for the day ahead. He would be taking few troops, he wouldn't need many. Sasuke slowly walked to the exit of Orochimaru's cave. When he reached the outside, the light seemed to blind him for a few seconds, it had been years since he had left his solitude.

"You'll need this.", Orochimaru said, handing Sasuke a black cloak.

Sasuke took the cloak and put up the hood, which helped his vision adjust to the light. Sasuke looked behind him at Kabuto, who was standing by Orochimaru.

"Uchiha", Kabuto began to say something, but stopped before his sentance started when he got a death glare from Sasuke.

With that Orochimaru gave a slight grin, as if he found amusment in the two shinobi. Sasuke looked around at those that were to be his "alies", he would rather have killed the magots right then and prevented them from getting in his way. Without any farwells, Sasuke leaped into the distance, he would reach the village hours before his soliders.

---5 hours later---

Sasuke landed on a tree branch outside Konoha and looked on the village for the first time in years.

"So peaceful.", Sasuke thought. "to be so peaceful in these times of war, what fools."

Sasuke leaped down from the tree.

"Henge no jutsu.", Sasuke took the form of a common leaf villager.

He stepped across the gate, into the village, as he passed village shops, people waved at him, thinking he was one of them.

"Those similes.", Sasuke thought, as he passed by another group of Konoha villagers. "How foolish, tomorrow there will be no smiles."

Sasuke passed the ramen shop Naruto had always gone to when he knew him. After giving it a moments thought Sasuke stepped through the curtains of the ramen place and sat down.

"Hello there.", the owner said. "I don't think I've ever seen you in here before."

"I don't eat a lot of ramen.", Sasuke said.

"How can you not eat a lot of ramen.", an anoying shinobi, sitting a seat down from Sasuke, said.

Sasuke looked at him, thinking.

"Um, mister, your really scaring me with that face.", the shinobi said.

"Its him.", Sasuke thought. "After all these years."

"Are you ok?", the young shinobi said to Sasuke.

"Yeah.", Sasuke replied.

He couldn't tell if it was Naruto, he sounded like him and looked like him, but something was different about him, he didn't quite feel like Naruto.

"Jundon!" A young woman yelled.

"Coming!", the shinobi replied, and he got up and left.

"So", Sasuke thought. "It wasn't him after all."

"Here's your ramen sir.", the owner said.

"It seems I've lost my appitite.", Sasuke replied. He handed the man some money for his troubles and left. Just as Sasuke turned his back to the ramen shop, a farmiliar blonde haired shinobi turned the corner to go inside.

"The usual, old man.", the shinobi said.

"Coming right up.", the owner said. "You know, we had someone in here a few seconds ago that reminded me of you."

"No kidding.", the shinobi said pulling apart a pair of chopsticks.

Sasuke continued down the streets. He came to the hokage's office building.

"Sir where are you going.", a jonin said to Sasuke.

"To see the hokage.", Sasuke replied.

"You can't just walts in like that, this is war, anyone could be an enemy shinobi in disguise.", a second jonin said.

"Is that so.", Sasuke said. "Well then, its a good thing I have an appointment."

"Oh, and where are your papers.", the first jonin said.

"I must have forgotten them.", Sasuke said. "I go home and get them."

He turned around to go, just then a blue flash of lightning passed straight through the necks of the two jonin and they hit the ground dead.

"Look at that.", Sasuke said. "I don't need an appointment."

Sasuke walked up the same stairs he had known tweleve years ago. He walked down the same old hall, and opened a door to the same old hokage.

"What is it?", Tsunade asked, when she saw Sasuke appear at the door.

"I have a message from my jonin superior.", Sasuke said. "He asks where exactly to possition his shinobi, should there be an attack on the village."

"And who is your superior?", Tsunade asked.

"Hatake Kakashi.", Sasuke replied.

"Thats paposterous.", Tsunade replied. "your not on his team, and Kakashi has no need of military advisment."

"If I may, lord hokage.", Sasuke said in a very fake polite manner. "When I reffered to general Hataka as my superior, I simply meant as a jonin in general, and he wants the battle positions to help train his pupils more realisticaly."

"Fine.", Tsunade said, not suspecting anything of this, seemingly average, Konoha citizen. "Here.", she handed him the paper.

"Thank you lord hokage.", Sasuke said.

As he closed the door behind him, Sasuke glanced back in the room. Just then, Tsunada looked up from her desk, and saw, as the door closed, the most terrifing set of eyes she had ever seen.

---that night---

Sasuke sat in the trees outside the village under his cloak. The attack pattern, he thought, had been too easy to get, but then again he had noticed a bottle of sake on the hokage's desk. Whether or not her actions had been effected by the alcohol, he didn't know or care. He knew where they'd be, thats all that mattered. Team Kakashi.

"Its dark.", Sasuke said to himself, lowering his cloak hood.

"Sir!", a sound nin said to Sasuke.

"So you're here.", Sasuke said, uninterested.

"Yes sir.", the sound nin replied. "We are stationed in the assigned positions."

After several moments, with Sasuke showing no sign of replying, the sound nin left, to return to the troops. Sasuke looked up at the night sky.

"Stars.", Sasuke said. "I had forgotten about them."

Even in the darkness of the night, the small light of the stars seemed to irritate Sasuke. Sasuke layed down on the tree branch he had been laying on and put his hood over his eyes.

---the next day---

Sasuke looked at the sound nin who had come before him the last night.

"Do they know what to do?", Sasuke said.

"Yes sir.", the sound nin repiled. "Everyone has their possitions. We attack at noon."

"Good.", Sasuke said.

And with that he was out of sight. The sound nin looked around confused, he was under the impression that Sasuke was leading them into battle.

Sasuke dashed towards the spot that Kakashi was suposed to be stationed in the event of an attack. When the area was in range he stopped to wait for his men to start the attack. It was only a few minutes before Sasuke saw an explosion in the east section of the village.

"So it begins."

Just then, a three man squad apeared on the roof of the building Sasuke was watching. Sasuke jumped out of the trees and landed in front of Naruto, Sakura, and Kakashi.

"So we meet again.", Kakashi said.

"Its been a while...", at this Sasuke threw two shurican at Kakashi, automatically a wall of sand came up and blocked them, "Gaara of the Desert."

The fake Kakashi, Naruto, and Sakura turned into Gaara, Kankuro, and Temari.

"We were dispatched to eliminate the Sound's general.", Gaara said. "But who knew it would be Sasuke Uchiha?"

"So the old women knew?", Sasuke said.

"You didn't underestimate the ability of the hokage, did you?", Gaara asked Sasuke.

"The hokage name", Sasuke replied. "means absolutely nothing. Speaking of which, were are those who I can here to kill?"

"If you are looking for team Kakashi", Gaara said. "They're in the Sand village, filling in for us."

"So, you switched on me, eh?", Sasuke said. "Well, I'm afraid Kakashi and his two teamates will have no home to come back to."

"Not if we have anything to say about it.", Temari said.

Just then there was another explosion, this time from the north, and a giant snake rose from the smoke. Kankuro and Temari looked worried.

"Go.", Gaara said. "They need you, I can haddle this."

With that the two sand siblings dashed off in the direction of the snake.

"Are you sure you can back up those words.", Sasuke said.

"Don't underestimate me, Uchiha.", Gaara said.

The two shinobi stood in silence for what seemed like hours, then a wave of sand came from behind Sasuke. Just as it was about to engulf him Sasuke held his hand behind him, when the sand touched his hand, Sasuke ran an electrical current through the sand, causing it to lose its shape and fall to the ground.

"Sand?", Sasuke said. "After thirteen years are you telling me this is all you can do?"

At this Gaara rose high into the air on a platform of sand, he rose his hands high into the air. After a few moments the ground started shaking.

"An earthquake?", Sasuke muttered.

"Wrong.", Gaara said. "I'm using the minerals in the ground to create sand."

"More sand?", Sasuke said in a mocking tone.

Just then, what seemed to be all of the earth in Konoha rose high into the air, shinobi of leaf, sound, and sand stood in awe as the sun and sky was utterly blocked out by Gaara's massive jutsu.

"This is more like it.", Sasuke said.

At this Gaara threw his arms down and his entire arsenal of sand flew downward in the form of a tornado, surrounding Sasuke and utterly destroying the surounding area.

"Ultimate Desert Funeral!", Gaara clentched his fist and the twister of sand closed around Sasuke.

After a few moments of silence, Gaara's mile high piller of sand fell to the ground.

"Its over.", Gaara said with a sigh.

Gaara lowered to the ground, weak from using his ultimate technique. Suddenly there was an explosion behind Gaara, his sand rose to protect him. Gaara spun around to see what had happened. Just as Gaara's defensive sand returned to his gourd and electrical current was sent from the inside of the gourd. Gaara's gourd turned back to sand. Gaara tried to turn it back, but it seemed the electrisity had rendered his sand motionless. Just then Gaara was punched hard in the gut and fell to the ground, Sasuke towering over him.

"How simple.", Sasuke said. "All I had to do was use high speed to evade your sand, then I caused an explosion, when your sand blocked it, I sent a dormant current of electrisity into it, and the moment it went back in your gourd you were beaten."

Gaara tried several times, but he couldn't stand.

"I hit nerves is your chest, you won't be able to stand for a while."  
At this Gaara gave Sasuke a death glare.

"Glare all you want, you are weak.", Sasuke said. "But, I was sent to destroy the leaf alone and killing the kazekage at this time would be most troublesome, so you will be spared for now."

At this Sasuke snaped his fingers and a cage of electricity formed around Gaara. After a few seconds the lightning forming the cage closed inward, electricuting Gaara.

"Ahhhh!", Gaara screemed in pain.

After a few seconds the lightning returned to its cage form.

"Every few moments the lightning forming this cage will electricute you, the dosage isn't enough to kill you, but you will not stay consious long. I'll return for you when this village is set in flames.", Sasuke said, with the intention of leaving.

Just then the giant snake that had been summoned to aid the sound fell, defeated.

"The 5th, no doubt.", Sasuke said.

With that he took out a scroll and bit his thumb. Sasuke wiped his thumb across the scrool, smearing it with blood.

"Massive Summoning no Jutsu!", Sasuke said.

No less than twenty, eighty meter high, snakes arose all around Konoha.

"That should keep the old broad busy while I take care of the foot soliders.", Sasuke said.

Just then twenty slugs rose from the ground to even the odds.

"As expected of the 5th.", Sasuke said.

With that he dased off toward the main battle field.

Sasuke landed on top of a building in the center of the village were the main conflict had been. When Sasuke looked down he saw Kankaro and Temari staring down, what seemed to be, Sasuke's entire sound army.

"Is this all the leaf could muster.", Sasuke said.

"You!", Temari shouted, pointing at Sasuke. "What did you do to Gaara!"

"I would go try and treat his wounds if I were you.", Sasuke said meniecly "If you don't, he'll die in my prison."

"Damn you!", Kankuro shouted, as he and Temari went to leave.

"Are you going to abandon the fight?", Sasuke asked. "If you leave, I'll set this village ablaze."

"I'm sure it will be fine.", Temari said with a laugh.

Just then all two hundred of Sasuke's seemingly unharmed troops turned into two hundred Konoha jonin.

"What fun.", Sasuke said with a grin.

Kankuro and Temari dashed off after Gaara. Sasuke leaped off the building he was on and into battle with the finest Konoha had to offer.

---five hours later---

Sasuke stood in what seemed like a field of corpses.

"So in the end, they weren't even of Konoha.", Sasuke said.

The countless sand ninja who had impersonated Konoha sinobi lay dead, now reverted to their true form.

"It would seem", Sasuke said. "there was never even a real Konoha shinobi here."

"Wrong!"

Sasuke looked up to see the 5th standing proudy on her summoning.

"Godaime.", Sasuke said with a voice that held no emotion.

Sasuke leaped into the air and made a thread of chakra, which he threw at Tsunade's slug. The chakra thread stuck.

"Katon Dragon Fire no Jutsu!"

A molten hot flame flew down Sasuke's chakra line and set Tsunade's slug on fire. Tsunade jumped off just in time to avoid being scourched to death. Sasuke and Tsunade stood a few yards away from each other, gathering their chakra. The ground seemed to be caving in from the eminase amount of chakra being pounded into it. After a few minutes there was an explosion where Sasuke and Tsunade stood. When the smoke cleared they were both standing in a massive crater formed by the very gathering of their chakra.

"Come!", Tsunade yelled.

Sasuke dashed towards her, just as he reached her he pulled out his kusanagi sword and aimed to strike her. Tsunade caught the sword between her hands, just as she did, an electric current was sent through the sword, numbing her body. At this Sasuke knoked Tusnade into the air with a kick. Sasuke performed, what seemed to be, a tribute to his former Lions Barrage, yet this attack was much more vicious, hitting many vital points on the body. Tsunade landed on the ground, coughing up blood.

"How sad.", Sasuke said. "that this is the limit of the one known as hokage. As I thought, hokage is a title that means nothing."

"Don't", Tsunade said, getting to her feet. "let Naruto catch you talking like that."

Sasuke glared at her. "Is that fool of a ninja still alive?"

"You know good and well he is.", Tsunade said.

Tsuade then activated the symbol on her forehead to regenerate her cells.

"You know.", Tsunade said, looking much more confident. "those snake's of yours gave me quite a problem, but I feel much better now."

Sasuke only half listened to Tsunade. He was looking up at the sky.

"Its night.", Sasuke said, more to himself than Tsunade.

"Whats with you?", Tsunade said, looking at little worried at Sasuke, who was now laughing.

Sasuke threw back his hood, his head down and his eyes closed. He threw his cloak off, which blew alawy into the wind. Sasuke slowely rose his head up and opened his eyes.

"Those eyes...", Tsunade stood in horror, as she gazed into the eyes of darkness.

Sasuke charged a chidori in his hand and ran at Tsunade, who took him head on. The two clashed hand against fist. After a few moments of struggle Tsunade slid a few feet backward.

"Impressive.", Sasuke said. "to be able to match my chidori with only brute strength."

At this Tsunade gave a slight smile, in her confidence.

"However.", Sasuke continued. "When unleashing a chidori, depending on the dosage of lightning I use, I can control its level, anywhere from a one to a five."

At this Sasuke held up two fingers.

"And it seems.", Sasuke said. "your strength is barely a match for my level two. What would happen if I were to use a five? I wonder?"

Sasuke charged a second chidori. Tsunade felt the power coming from it. But, she too had been using slight reserve in her power. Slight. Tsunade ran to meet Sasuke in a second clash. Her fist hit his hand and to Tsunade's horror Sasuke's chidori penetrated her fist and went sraight up her arm. Sasuke pushed Tsunade off him with his leg.

"That.", Sasuke said. "was a four."

Tusnade stood drenched in blood. She didn't have enough chakra to revive her arm. With her right arm, now completely usless, she could no longer do any justu, save her chakra manipulation.

"This is the end.", she thought.

Sasuke just looked at her in disgust.

"How the mighty have fallen.", Sasuke said, walking toward Tsunade.

Sasuke had reaeched Tsunade. Just then the moon came from behind the clouds. Sasuke squinted his eyes. At this moment Tsunade saw her only chance and trusted upward as hard as she could with her left fist. Sasuke went flying a few meters.

"Damn you old women.", Sasuke said, getting up.

Tsunade tried her best to get to her feet, but it was obvious she was near the end. Sasuke, however was having trouble without his cloak.

"This light.", Sasuke said. "5th hokage of the hidden leaf, alow me to show you the true power of darkness."

Sasuke closed his eyes. It seemed to be getting darker to Tsunade, even though it was the middle of the night. She looked up to see the stars going out.

"Wha?", she said, confused by the events occuring. "Genjutsu?"

"I'm afraid not.", Sasuke said. "This is as real as you and me."

"How?", Tsunade said, now afraid.

"Darkness.", Sasuke said.

With that, the moon vanished. It was truely dark. Not a single light shown. Then she saw it. The eyes of the dark. The last thing she every saw, was the eyes iluminated in a blue flash.

The stars came back, as did the moon. Sasuke pulled his hand from the heart of the late hokage, who finaly reverted to her true image.

"SASUKE!"

Sasuke turned around to see team Kakasi and all three of the sand siblings.

"Naruto.", Sasuke muttered under his breath.

Their eyes met and stayed that way for a long time. Finaly Naruto lunged at Sasuke. Sasuke easily side stepped him and knocked him out of the way. Naruto got to his feet.

"Why?", the young shinobi asked.

"Because.", Sasuke said. "I will kill you all."

At this Naruto went crazy. He rushed at Sasuke, before Sasuke could block his attack Naruto slid to the side a kicked Sasuke from the left. Sasuke dodged it only to have a kuni come flying at him. He deflected it, but was caught off guard and Naruto got a hit in. Before Sasuke could get up, Naruto started kicking him, it didn't really hurt but it was anoying. Then Sasuke realized Naruto was crying.

"Why, why, why...", Naruto said, think of all the years he had known the 5th.

"You fool.", Sasuke said, easily getting away from Naruto's feeble kicks and knocking him down. "One day, this village will burn and you will stand and look out as every one you know and love is killed before your eyes."  
Just then Sasuke went flying, taking at punch to the side of the head.

"Come on Naruto.", Sakura said, holding her hand out.

"Yeah.", Naruto said, getting up and looking at Sasuke, who had rose to his feet.

All six of the sinobi now stood together. Sasuke looked in their eyes and saw something he didn't understand. It was love. Love for their hokage, love for their former comrad, who ,they saw now, was long gone. Sasuke hated them, he hated them so badely. He just wanted them all to die, so is suffering could end.

"You.", Naruto said to Sasuke. "Shinobi of the hidden sound. Leave here now and never come back."

Everyone looked at Naruto, surprised. He really couldn't forgive him.

"Kuku, you fool. Sasuke said, walking toward Tsunade's body. "You Konoha trash."

Sasuke went to kick Tsunade's body, but in a flash, Naruto apeared in front of Sasuke and caught his leg.

"Don't you dare.", Naruto said, his eyes full of anger and sadness. "Don't you dare."

Sasuke freed himself from Naruto's grip and prepared to attack, but just then he fell down and grabbed his chest.

"Fast.", Sasuke let out."

Naruto had delivered a blow to Sasuke in the blink of an eye. Sasuke got up and looked around.

"Naruto", he thought to himself. "Sakura, Kakashi, Kankuro, Temari, Gaara."

Without so much as a final mock, or jesture, Sasuke got up and started walking away. Naruto and Sakura went after him, but Gaara held their feet with his sand.

"Let him go.", Gaara said. "There is no punishment we could give to him, worse than living in his life."

"Never come back.", these words echoed in Sasuke's head.

And he never did come back. Not him. Not Sasuke.

---that morning---

"...she lived her life to protect those of this village and she died, proudly protecting them."

It was Kakashi's voice, he was chosen to give Tusnade's eulogy.

"Truly, today we have wittnessed the death of a hero."

To those in the crowd that heard Kakashi's voice they assumed he refered to their beloved 5th, but Naruto and Sakura knew who he meant, they knew all too well.

_The name Sasuke Uchiha is no longer spoken by those of the leaf, not one._

This ends Chapter 8 of The Last Shinobi War. Please Read&Review.


	9. The Land of Waterfalls

First off I'm really sorry for this taking so long, but after I wrote it the first time through I didn't like where it was going so I went back and completely redid the chapter. Also I've had a lot going on lately, on top of school, I just started another story, which you can check out in my profile, plus I'm slowly working on a joint project with my fellow writer Holdenia. Yeah, I know, I'm a busy guy. Anyway, I'd like to thank NOTORIOUS.ro for reviewing my story. I also just added a story arc layout to my profile, its prety much pointless, but I was looking over the real Naruto story arcs, and I was like, "hey I want those", so yeah, now I have them. What story arc is this you ask? The Sai and Ino Rescue Arc of course. Chapter 9, coming at ya.

I do not own the Naruto franchise, or any of its characters.

**Chapter 9: _The Land of Waterfalls_**

"Go to sleep. You'll need it tomorrow."

"I know, but then, why are you awake at this hour?"

"I don't sleep a lot.", Gaara said. "My body never got used to it."

"You don't say.", Naruto said, not really paying attention to his words.

"They're there...you know...", Gaara said, almost worried.

"Yeah, I know...", Naruto replied.

"Then sleep.", Gaara said again.

"But...", Naruto started to protest, but Gaara started to move him towards his tent with sand on the ground. "I get, I get."

So, Naruto went back to sleep, far easier than he thought he would.

---the next day---

Naruto woke up last, Gaara had never gone back to sleep. Everyone was ready to go.

"It'll take a while to get there.", Gaara said.

"But, you can get us there fast, right?", Sakura said. "Like you did with the rain village."

"That was different", Gaara said. "As far as we know, the hidden waterfall could still be intact, we must draw as little attention to ourselves as possibe."

"How troublesome.", Shikamaru commented.

"I can get us as far as a few hours away, but we'll have to walk from there, to avoid alerting the village.", Gaara said. "Remember we're at war with the village and any sudden movements might be considered an attack by the villagers."

"Understood.", Kakashi said.

"Then, lets go.", Naruto said, putting on his white cloak, oddly similar to the one worn by the 4th.

Everyone possitioned themselves on Gaara sand, and they were off. About an hour or two away from the village Gaara stoped and everyone got off again.

"We walk from here.", Gaara said.

After a few hours there was a clearing and everyone looked out into the majesty that was the hidden waterfall.

"Hey guys stop, this is it.", Sakura said.

Everyone looked over the cliff.

"Wow, how beautiful.", Hinata said.

"Yeah.", Naruto replied.

"So, this is the Land of Waterfalls.", Shikamaru said.

"Don't get too excited, remember we're here on a rescue mission.", Kakashi said.

"Were do you think Ino and Sai are at?", Sakura asked.

"Most likely the village has been over thrown.", Gaara said.

"That, or their kage is being impersonated.", Naruto said.

"Idoit, The Hidden Waterfall doesn't have a kage, you should know that, your a kage.", Sakura replied.

"Whatever.", Naruto said.

"Come on, its still a little further to the village.", Gaara said.

"Ok", everyone replied.

They turned back to the path and continued on.

"This is weird.", Sakura said.

"Yeah", Kakashi said. "Its so...peaceful."

They now stood at the gates of the village.

"Stop.", a shinobi said. "You may not proceed any further into the village without authorization."

"I am Uzumaki Naruto, hokage of the hidden leaf."

The guard looked a little shocked.

"You do realize we are at war with your village.", the guard said, a little afraid of questioning a kage.

"In truth.", Naruto said. "I have no reason to be at war with this village and would like nothing more than to sign a treaty to stop this pointless conflict."

"Uzumaki Naruto!"

Everyone looked up. There was a waterfall shinobi standing on the wall of the village entrance.

"Our leader wishes to see you emidiately."

The shinobi leaped down and grabbed Naruto by the arm.

"Hey!", Sakura yelled. "You can't just grab our hokage like that!"

"Its ok Sakura.", Naruto said.

"Huh?", Sakura said.

"I wanted to see their leader.", Naruto said. "Think of this as an escort."

"Sure.", Sakura said. "Why not."

With that the waterfall nin led the six shinobi along throughout the village. As Sakura and Kakashi pointed out, it was a very peaceful village. It was as if the war hadn't effected them at all.

"Somethings wrong here.", Gaara thought to himself.

Eventualy they reached a large building with the hidden waterfall symbol engraved on it.

"He's through here.", the waterfall ninja said.

They were led into a dim lit room, with a curtain along the back wall. There was an old man sitting on the carpet in the middle of the room.

"Welcome.", the old man said.

The waterfall nin that had led them in left without a word. The six shinobi were motioned to sit down and they did.

"So.", Gaara said. "You are the leader of this village."

"Yes.", the old man said. "However, I called for the hokage, and you do not seem to be him."

"Thats me.", Naruto said. "I'm Uzumaki Naruto, hokage of the leaf."

"Tell me.", the old man said. "Why are you here?"

"I'm looking for two of my comrads.", Naruto said. "They have been taken captive and I am led to believe they are being held somewhere in this village."

"Is that so.", the old man said. "You know that, should a prisoner of war be brought here, they are under my juristiction."

"I am aware of that.", Naruto said.

"Yet I have no memory of a Konoha shinobi being brought here.", the old man said.

"They were not brought here by any men of yours.", Naruto said.

"What do you mean?", the old man asked.

"Have you heard of an organization known as Akatsuki?", Naruto asked.

"Yes.", the old man said. "I have."

"I am under the impression that two members of this organization captured two of my shinobi and are now holding them here, in this village.", Naruto said.

"You know.", the old man said. "that in these times of war, there is nothing stopping me from having you arrested and killed right now, for entering my village."

"Then before we proceed any further.", Naruto said. "I would like to sign a treaty with this village."

"A treaty, eh?", the old man said.

"Yes.", Naruto said. "Do you except?"

"Hm", the old man muttered as he stood up. "Follow me."

The six shinobi began to stand up, but the old man raised his hand.

"Just the kage.", the old man said. "You others will stay here under watch."

At that two, aparently jonin level, waterfall nin apeared at the entrance of the room. Naruto stood up to follow the old man.

"We will proceed though here.", the old man said, removing the curtain in the back of the room, revealing a passage. "and further discuss the treaty in private."

Naruto nodded and followed him, but right before they went down the hallway that the curtain had revealed, the old man stopped again.

"You are.", the old man said, not turning around. "the 5th kazekage of the sand, are you not?"

"I am.", Gaara said, without much intrest.

"You are to be aressted and held under this village's jurestiction until further notice.", the old man said.

"What?", Naruto said.

"It fine.", Gaara said. "I don't care."

"Well.", Sakura thought. "He's really taking this seriously."

"Take him.", the old man said.

With that another jonin apeared at the doorway and led Gaara off.

"Well then.", the old man said. "shall we proceed."

"Yeah.", Naruto said.

As they walked through the passageway the curtain closed behind them.

"So how long have you been here.", Naruto said, now very seriously.

"You know then?", the old man said.

"You of all people should know to not underestimate me", Naruto said. "Itachi."

With that the old man's image fadded away revealing the terifying Uchiha. The two shinobi continued down the hall.

--------------------------------

"Gaara was it?", the jonin said.

"Yes.", Gaara replied.

"Do you know where we are going?", the jonin said.

"To the waterfalls, no doubt.", Gaara replied.

"Very good.", the jonin said.

"Tell me", Gaara said. "why don't you reveal your true face to me."

The evil smile of Kisame looked down at Gaara.

--------------------------------

The remaining Konoha nin left in the room were very anoyed with the situation, particulary Shikamaru and Sakura.

"What a drag.", Shikamaru said.

"How can they just leave us here?", Sakura said.

"I'm sure Naruto-kun is making progress with the waterfall's leader.", Hinata said.

"Hmm, don't be so sure.", Kakashi said. "Most likely its a trap."

"Well then why are we just sitting around here?", Sakura said.

"We can't act on anything.", Kakashi said. "We don't have a just reason to."

"So we just have to wait till they turn on us?", Sakura asked.

"Prety much.", Kakashi said.

"What drag.", Shikamaru said.

"Is that all you can say.", Sakura said, angry at Shikamaru for being so layed back about the situation.

--------------------------------

"Where are they Itachi?", Naruto asked.

"Your in no situation to be asking the questions.", Itachi said.

"Oh, I'm not?", Naruto replied. "I didn't realize that I was in such a situation."

"You told me not to underestimate you Lord Hokage.", Itachi said. "Now, I would ask that you don't underestimate me."

"Of course.", Naruto replied.

"Now, I'm sure you are aware that Gaara is being held by Kisame.", Itachi said.

"Yes.", Naruto replied. "I'm acctualy impressed, me and Gaara planned for this, but we didn't think you would act so soon."

"Well, then", Itachi continued. "I assume you realize your comrads are not safe in the government building."

"I will say this", Naruto replied. "If you put so much as a scratch on one of them, you will regret it."

"I'm sure.", Itachi replied.

--------------------------------

"We're here.", Kisame said.

"They are truly magnificent.", Gaara said.

They were now at the most sacred ritual grounds of the waterfall. The entire area was surrounded by waterfalls in a circle, save the narrow path that lead to it.

"Ah, so your here, Kisame.", Itachi said, now emerging from behind one of the waterfalls with Naruto. "Now that we're in private, we will discuss the current situation."

"What situation?", Naruto asked, confused.

"I see.", Itachi said. "Well it seems we are at least one step ahead of you."

"What do you mean Itachi.", Gaara asked.

"Orochimaru.", Kisame said.

"Huh, what about him?", Naruto asked.

"Throughout the years of the war, it has been common for Orochimaru to take refuge in different villages.", Itachi said. "Either in hidding or after the village's destruction."

"The paper!", Naruto said, pulling out the note Hinata gave to him.

---the night before---

"I'm going to bed.", Sakura anounced to everyone around the camp fire.

"Me too", Shikamaru said.

At that Kakashi got up and left without a word, followed by Gaara.

"Well I guess I'll get to bed too.", Naruto said.

"Goodnight Naruto-kun.", Hinata said. "Oh, wait!"

"Huh, what is it?", Naruto asked.

"Look.", Hinata pulled out the piece of paper she had found in Akatsuki's base.

"This is...", Naruto started.

"Yeah, a list of Orochimaru's whereabouts over the duration of the war.", Hinata replied.

"But, according this.", Naruto said. "this year, he will be at either the hidden Moon, Sand, or..."

--------------------------------

"Leaf.", Itachi said. "His attack will be swift, and with the leaf's greatest shinobi gone, there is no hope for the village."

"They're...", Naruto started, but Gaara cut him off.

"Don't let them get to you Naruto.", Gaara said. "Stay focused on here and now."

"Yeah.", Naruto said, now with a serious look on his face.

"Pft, what can I say.", Itachi said. "I warned you."

"You see.", Kisame said. "Akatsuki doesn't take kindly to Orochimaru and his actions, there we share a common ememy."

"You will find no alience with us.", Naruto said.

"We don't want one.", Itachi said. "However, we have told you this information because we would appreciate it if Orochimaru was "taken care of"."

"We will not eliminate targets of your organization for you.", Gaara said.

"You see.", Kisame said. "We have told you this for another reason."

"Which would be?", Naruto asked.

"You are here for your comrads, are you not?", Itachi said.

"Where are they?", Naruto said, not becoming angry.

"They're safe.", Itachi said. "For now."

"If you...", Naruto started.

"Yes, yes, I am aware of your affection for your fellow shinobi.", Itachi said. "But this is your situation. You can walk away now and leave your comrads behind, and obtain one leg up on Orochimaru, or you can fight us here. Victory will give you your friends, but can you take the risk of wasting precious time, when your village could be overrun?"

At this Naruto froze.

"What will you do in this situation?", Itachi asked.

"I have faith", Naruto said. "In those of the hidden leaf. They will not let the land of Fire fall. So, I will defeat you here, and resuce my friends, as I promised I would."

"Interesting decision.", Itachi replied.

"Are you up for this?", Naruto asked Gaara.

"Of course.", Gaara said.

At that the two comrads leaped away from the Akatsuki members, and took their battle positions.

--------------------------------

"That's it!", Sakura said, walking up to one of the guards.

"Sakura don't!", Kakashi said, but he was too late.

The guard hit the ground, the other turned toward her, but Sakura soon had him planted too.  
"Now come on!", she said. "Naruto and Gaara could be in danger."

Everyone got up to go through the same passage the Naruto had passed through, but when they moved the curtain, there was nothing but solid wall.

"Take this!", Sakura shouted, punching a hole in the wall, but there was nothing there.

"Yep", Shikamaru said. "Prety sure someone heard that."

Soon the were two squads of what apeared to be the waterfalls version of the anbu.

"Great.", Kakashi said, revealing his sharingan.

"We don't have time for this.", Sakura said. "who knows what could be happening to Naruto and Gaara at this very moment."

"Naruto-kun.", Hinata thought. "Please be carefull."

At that two more squads dropped from the ceiling.

This ends Chapter 9 of The Last Shinobi War. Please Read and Review.


	10. Secret of the Uchiha Clan

I'm back, awesome. My profile's been changed up a bit, check it out. Also I'd like to thank Harteramo for the review. Chapter 10 coming at ya.

I do not own the Naruto francise or any of its characters.

* * *

**_Chapter 10: Secret of the Uchiha Clan_**

"Desert Coffin!", Gaara yelled again.

"Did you get him?", Naruto asked as he locked kuni with Itachi.

"No, another water clone.", Gaara answered back, jumping a few feet in the air to scan the area.

"Here!", Kisame yelled as he leaped out of the water at Gaara.

Gaara's shield of sand flew up, but Kisame was too fast, he appeared behind Gaara in mid air and sent him flying under the water. Gaara bust from the water looking upset from getting so wet.

"You sure you got it?", Naruto said dodging another barrage of fire balls.

"Yeah, I got him, just give me a sec.", Gaara said, now very frustrated.

"You got me, huh?", Kisame said, taking another charge at Gaara.

"Yeah, I got you.", Gaara said, giving his hand a turn he grabbed Kisame's leg with sand and stopped him in his tracks.

"Pft, you'll have to do better than that kid.", Kisame said wraping Gaara leg with water in the same fashion as Gaara's sand grabbed Kisame. "Looks like we're pretty evenly matched kid, what are you gonna do now?"

Gaara stood there, the both of them trapped in eachother's jutsu, thinking, then without notice Naruto went flying by, after finaly being hit by one of Itachi's fire balls and went slaming into Kisame, sending him flying into the mountain wall behind one of the waterfalls.

"Ouch...", Naruto mumbled while dusting himself off.

"Hey, thanks!", Gaara yelled over to Naruto, who turned around to see Kisame imbedded in the stone.

"No problem!", Naruto yelled back.

---elsewhere---

"Holy crap! How many of these guys do they have?", Sakura yelled, as she sent another waterfall nin flying.

The Konoha ninjas were out in the streets of the waterfall village, still fighting off shinobi, after causing the government building to collapse they drew quite a lot of attention to themselves.

"I've beaten thirty-five so far.", Kakashi yelled back.

"Why are you counting?", Sakura asked as she flipped over another ninja and sent him flying into a fruit stand.

"Old habbit", Kakashi replied. "I usualy get into this kind of situation with Gai."

"Yeah, I could see that.", Sakura said smacking her fist into a ninja that tried to attack her from behind.

"I don't see why we didn't just do this before", Shikamaru said, from atop one of the village buildings.

"Well, they took us right to that government place", Hinata replied. "we were being watched."

"Yeah, but this was kind of a waste of time, don't you think?", Shikamaru replied.

"Whatever, just watch my back", Hinata said. "Byakugan!"

Hinata scaned the village for any signs of their allies.

"I still don't see Sai or Ino anywhere", Hinata said, discoraged.

"They might have them sealed off in a place hard for the Byakugan to detect.", Shikmaru said.

"I do see Gaara-sama and Naruto-kun.", Hinata said, with a slight hint of exitment in her voice.

"Really?", Shikamaru said. "Where are they?"

"Kinda on the outskirts of the village.", Hinata replied. "It looks like they're completely surounded by waterfalls."

"So how do we get to them?", Shikamaru asked.

"Wait, there's a path", Hinata replied. "Hold on, let me get a better look."

"Hurry it up.", Shikamaru said kicking another waterfall nin off the roof of the building.

"Oh no!", Hinata suddenly screamed.

"What now", Sikamaru said. "This can't get much worse Hinata."

"Akatsuki", Hinata replied.

"Wha?", Shikamaru let out. "Thats not good."

Shikamaru looked around and spotted Sakura running down an ally fighting off waterfall nins.

"Sakura!", Shikamaru yelled as loud as he could to get her attention.

"Huh?", Sakura looked up. "Hey, what'd you guys find?", Sakura yelled back.

"We've got Akatsuki problems!", Shikamaru yelled back.

"Where at?", Sakura asked, now leaping to the rooftop Hinata and Shikamaru were located at.

"From how Hinata describes it", Shikamaru said, pulling out pencil and paper. "they should be here.", he said drawing a surprisingly detailed map for the little amount of information he had on the area.

"Shikamaru, that head of yours never ceases to amaze me.", Sakura said.

"Naruto and Gaara are already there.", Shikamaru said. "You and Kakashi go help them, me and Hinata will take care of the flunkies, we were always better at crowds than you guys anyway."

"Where's Kak...", Sakura started to ask, but was cut off by Hinata.

"There", Hinata pointed to Kakashi, who was fighting off about six shinobi in the village square.

"Ok, I'm on it.", Sakura said with a wave as she leaped off to Kakashi with Shikamaru's map in hand.

"Ready Hinata?", Shikamaru asked.

"Ready", Hinata relpied.

"Shadowbind jutsu!", Shikamaru yelled as imprisoned every surounding shinobi in the area. "Your turn"

At this Hinata leaped off the building to take out the motionless ninja.

---elsewhere---

"Ino? Wake up. Come on.", Sai shook Ino a little bit and she started to stir.

"Where are we now?", Ino asked.

"They put us in some kind of chakra cage that stops us from being view by any special means.", Sai said.

"Special means?", Ino asked, confused.

"I think it was meant for the Byakugan", Sai said.

"The Byakugan!", Ino said with exitement. "That means they're onto us!"

"My thoughts exactly.", Sai said.

"Don't get your hopes up."

Suddenly a figure emerged from the shadows.

"Itachi!", Sai said with disguest.

"Your allies are a little busy fighting off Kisame and I to be rescuing anyone.", Itachi said.

"Fighting...you?", Ino asked.

"Its a simple jutstu our leader performs.", Itachi explained. "we just kill off a couple of nins from the village, and poor a little of our chakra into them, and there you have it, almost exact replicas, able to produce incredible amounts of strength."

"You really think some poorly created clones will stop the Hokage?", Sai asked.

"No", Itashi answered. "In fact, I'd be dissapointed in him if he hadn't realized them to be clones by now. However, I do expect him to weaken from the battle, and I also expect it to stall him."

"Naruto and the others will be here in no time!", Ino screamed at Itachi. "You'll see."

"And who knows?", Itachi continued as if not hearing Ino. "Mabye those clones will even have enough punch in them to take out a few of your Hokage's minions."

Ino and Sai just glared at him.

---meanwhile---

"Damn water prison.", Gaara muttered trying to free himself.

"Rasengan!", Naruto yelled as he sent Itachi flying. "I got it Gaara, just hold on a sec."

"Chidori!", Kakashi yelled as he pierced Kisame through the chest, freeing Gaara.

"Thanks for that", Gaara said.

"That was too easy.", Kakashi said.

"It was a clone.", Gaara replied. "Like the ones we found at the old Akatsuki base."

"Then what was your problem?", Kakashi asked, making Gaara anoyed.

"Your one to talk.", Gaara said, and with that embarasing memory Kakashi was silenced.

"Take this!", Sakura yelled as she aimed a punch right for Itachi's face.

Itachi jumped out of the way only to run right into another one of Naruto's rasengans, this one made a direct hit.

"Got em.", Naruto said. "Thanks Sakura, when did you get here?"

"Hinata spotted you guys.", Sakura replied.

"Good old Hinata.", Naruto said to himself.

"Hey you two!", Naruto yelled over at Gaara and Kakashi. "We need to find the real Itachi and Kisame, they should be guarding Ino and Sai. Hinata didn't happen to see anything that'd help did she?"

"I'm not sure.", Kakashi said, making his way over to Naruto.

"Sakura?", Naruto asked.

"Sorry.", Sakura said. "The only thing the others told me about was this place."

At this Sakura pulled out the map Sikamaru had drawn her.

"Wait a second.", Gaara said, looking at the map. "Can I see that?"

"Sure.", Sakura said, handing the map to him.

"Look at this.", Gaara said, pointing at a shaded area on the map.

"I didn't notice.", Sakura said. "Ha, Shikamaru you never cease..."

---not too long ago---

"I still don't see Sai and Ino anywhere", Hinata said, discoraged.

"They might have them sealed off in a place hard for the Byakugan to detect.", Shikmaru said. "Why don't you look for the most unclear spot in the village."

"What do you mean?", Hinata asked.

"Like a blur", Shikamaru replied. "anything you can't see at onehundred percent, something you might normaly overlook."

"There is a dark spot under the center of the village.", Hinata said. "but, I really don't think its anything."

"Under the village center, huh?", Shikamaru muttered to himself."

"I do see Gaara-sama and Naruto-kun.", Hinata said, with a slight hint of exitment in her voice.

"Really?", Shikamaru said. "Where are they?"

---present time---

"Wait, so how do we...", Kakashi started to ask, but he was cut off by Sakura who completely destroyed the monument in the center of the village with a punch.

"Ah, that works.", Kakashi said.

"Hells yeah it works!", Sakura said, energized about the prospect of finding Sai and Ino.

"Shikamaru was right", Naruto said. "There's a big hole here where the monument was."

"So, do we just jump?", Kakashi asked.

"Come on we're waisting time!", Naruto said, plunging into the darkness.

Following his lead Gaara clamly lept in, then Sakura.

"I guess thats a yes.", Kakashi said, jumping in.

The four shinobi didn't fall very long, the drop wasn't nearly as bad as it looked, it would seem the jutsu that was used to block the Byakugan had effected its apearence. After a few seconds everyone touched the ground, it was pitch black.

"No chance any of you can see in this, is there?", Gaara asked, almost sarcasticaly.

"I got it.", Naruto said, snapping his finger and making a little flame apear, just enough to walk by.

With the cavern iluminated it was clear there was only one path, so the four shinobi started down it.

"We need Hinata", Naruto said.

"Not really", Gaara said. "If what Sakura said is right, then she probably couldn't see a thing down here."

"Oh yeah, didn't think about that.", Naruto replied.

"Ouch.", Kakashi let out as he ran into Sakura. "Why'd you stop walking."

"I have a feeling.", Sakura said to herself. "Ino..."

At that Sakura turned to her left and punched a huge hole in the cave wall revealing a passage, and without so much as a word she started down it.

---elsewhere---

"I grow bored of this.", Itachi said as he pased around the cage Ino and Sai were in. "But, soon it will all pay off."

At this Itachi stopped walking and looked right at Ino and Sai.

"He's coming for you.", Itachi said. "and then I'll get my answers."

"Tell me.", Sai said. "What kind of answers are you looking for. For all of the time we have been in your custody, you have only mentioned some scroll, that is apparently of some importance to you."

"The scroll is the key to destroying an Uchiha.", Itachi said in a dazed voice. "I found it in our clans most secret meeting place. It was old, and forgoten by all those alive at that time. The scroll had been writen by the first of our clan to ever obtain the mangekyo sharingan. He saw the power he had obtained and feared others that could obtain it, so he invented a way to stop the sharingan completely. I asume you know my story and of the fall of my clan."

"Yes", Sai replied. "everyone in Konoha from that time knows."

"Don't you think it strange, that even with the mangekyo sharingan I could perform such a feat as to kill that many saringan users. My chakra is limited and even with my strongest jutsu, I couldn't have done it. But, the scroll taught a way to, so I learned from it. After I destroyed my clan I took the scroll and hid it. For you see, that scroll is teaches the greatest downfall of my bloodline, our greatest, long forgoten secret."

"For what are you without your eyes?", Sai said, almost in a moking tone.

"Your about to find out.", Itachi said, throwing a kuni to his left.

"Huh?", Sai said, confused, but then he heard the kuni cling with something else metalic.

"Sakura!", Ino yelled.

"Ino!", Sakura ran over to the cage and punched it with her monsterous strength.

"Impressive.", Itachi said, as the bars of the cage hit the ground, I forgot that the 5ths legacy still lived.

"Well she lives!", Sakura yelled, geared up for battle.

"Foolish little girl, where are your friends?", Itachi said, in a low tone.

"They're on their way, don't worry.", Sakura said. "I just got a little ahead, but I'd be worring about me if I were you."

"Sakura no!", Ino yelled, but it was too late.

As she charged at Itachi her eyes met his and she hit the floor in pain.

"I have no interest in you.", Itachi said.

"Let her go!", Sai said, trying to move, but his body was still weak from Itachi's captivity jutsu.

"Oh, and as for your allies.", Itachi said, walking over to Sakura. "You shouldn't have gone ahead of them, they could have used your help with Kisame. I'm sure he's dealing with them now."

"Nar-", but Sakura couldn't finish her sentence.

"Now die.", Itachi said, but as he went to pull out his sword he stoped. "Hm, what is this."

"Its called the shadowbind jutsu", Shikamaru said. "and I'd expect you to know it."

"Ah yes, the Nara clan's technique.", Itachi said, as if caught up in a dream.

Hinata ran over to Sai and Ino and got them up.

"Well", Itachi said. "What do you intend to do to me."

"Hurt you."

"Hu-", Itachi started, but he was hit directly in the chest with Naruto's most powerful wind jutsu and sent flying into a cave wall.

"Shikamaru, re-bind him.", Naruto said.

"Got it.", Shikamaru said, and Itachi was forced still again.

"Now.", Naruto said. "You will return to the village hidden in the leafs for questioning."

"Is that so?", Itachi said.

"Yes", Naruto said, with a look of utter superiority is his eyes. "Yes it is."

"What happened to Kisame?", Itachi asked.

"Kakashi got him", Naruto replied. "he seemed pretty happy about it too"

"So where are they then?", Itachi asked.

"They're helping the inoccents of the waterfall travel to the next village over.", Naruto said.

"Looks like in the end you were one step ahead", Itachi said. "But you overlooked one thing."

"And whats that?", Naruto asked.

"The clones you fought on the water weren't lying.", Itachi said. "for choosing this battle you have lost everything."

"What do you...", but Naruto remembered.

"Whats he talking about?", Sai asked.

"We don't have any time.", Naruto said. "I'll tell you on the way. Hinata is Sakura alright."

"Yeah, I already treated her, she's just alseep", Hinata replied.

"Good", Naruto said. "Lets go find Gaara, we gotta get home."

Just then Naruto turned back around and slamed his fist into Itachi's face.

"You better pray to God that your lying.", Naruto said in anger, but Itachi just laughed.

---afterward---

And so Ino and Sai were rescued. The eight shinobi gathered in the village square and set off with Gaara's help. Kisame's body was brought along for the Konoha medical ninjas to study, though at this Itachi commented that there would be no medical nins left to examine him, and at this Naruto gave the still bound Itachi another punch. The ninja of the Leaf sped off in the direction of Konoha, not knowing what was instore for them.

* * *

This ends Chapter 10 of The Last Shinobi War, please read and review.


	11. Brothers

Another thanks to Harteramo for the review. This chapter is pretty short, but it needs to be, or it'd mess up the flow of the story. Also, anybody see the new season 9 opening for Naruto, its pretty good. Chapter 11 coming at ya.

I don't own the Naruto francise or any of its characters.

* * *

**_Chapter 11: Brothers_**

Gaara looked up at the night sky. The were almost to Konoha. The sand platform he made for them to travel on was much larger than the one he had used before. He had made it large enough so all nine of them would have room to sleep for a short while, even though he, Naruto and Itachi were still wide awake. Well, Gaara didn't have much of a choice, he had to stay awake to keep the jutsu active, but, as he had said before, he didn't sleep much anyway. Naruto and Itachi were talking on the opposite side of the platform.

"Your going to kill him, aren't you?", Itachi asked.

"Yeah...", Naruto said, trailing off.

"How interesting.", Itachi said looking up at the stars.

At this Naruto looked angry.

"How can you be so calm about something like that?", Naruto asked.

"Death", Itachi replied. "does not effect me in the same way it does you."

"This is your brother we're talking about!", Naruto shouted.

Gaara was about to look over his shoulder to see what was going on, but thought better of it.

"Do you think of me as one who cares deeply for the lives of his family?", Itachi said.

"No.", Naruto said, calming down. "No I don't."

"Well then.", Itachi said. "You have no reason to get worked up."

"But...", Naruto trailed off again.

"You don't seem like you want to kill him at all.", Itachi said. "and after all that training for it."

"What do mean?", Naruto asked.

"Wasn't that what it was all for. The scroll and your training with the kazekage over there.", at that Itachi noded towards Gaara. "Never in all the years of the war did you look for a way to defeat me, or Akatsuki, nor did you care about our plans. Him however, you cared about."

"Of course I do!", Naruto yelled out. "He's my...my best...or he was..."

"My brother, as you knew him no longer exist.", Itachi said, cutting Naruto off. "Just as the brother he knew no longer exist."

"You!", Naruto said, as if just realizing who he was talking to. "This is all your fault!"

"And what makes you blame all off "this" on me?", Itachi asked, amused by the situation.

"He would have never tured out this way if it wasn't for you!", Naruto shouted. "Everything he's done up until now has been because that damn ambition to kill you!"

"You have nothing to blame on me.", Itachi replied. "If the events of the past had not taken place as they did, then he would not have turned out as the same person you knew. He would not have been the person you befriended."

Naruto sat silent for a moment before he spoke up.

"Your right.", Naruto said, causing Itachi to look almost surprised.

--------------------------------

The door opened, letting light into the room.

"Orochimaru, what took you so long?", the man chained to the wall asked.

"Kuku, to still be so aragent, even in your current situation.", Orochimaru said with an evil grin.

"I get lonely in here, you know? It wouldn't hurt to send in someone to keep me company.", the prisoner said.

"I suppose I could send Kabuto down here every now and then.", Orochimaru said, half laughing.

"That's not funny.", the prisoner replied. "I don't want that little prick of yours down here."

At this Orochimaru let out a laugh.

"You almost sound like that Uchiha.", Orochimaru said, amused.

"So, you've still got him around here?", the prisoner asked.

"Of course.", Orochimaru replied. "what did you think happened to him?"

"Knowing you, no clue.", the prisoner replied. "If he's here, can I see him?"

"Now, why would you want to do that?", Orochimaru asked with curiosity.

"No reason.", the prisoner replied. "Its not every day you get to talk with someone like him."

"I see.", Orochimaru said. "Well, I'll have Kabuto send for him, but don't blame me if he's in a bad mood."

"Of course.", the prisoner replied.

And with that Orochimaru walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.

--------------------------------

After his conversation with Itachi, Naruto finaly layed down and tried to get about an hours sleep before they reached Konoha. Itachi layed on his back to get a better look at the starts, losing himself in his thoughts.

"You, Uchiha.", Gaara said after a while.

"Yeah", Itachi replied.

"What can we expect to find in Konoha?", Gaara asked.

"Don't you think I've told you what I know already?", Itachi said.

"Not really, frankly I don't trust you at all.", Gaara replied.

"Your smart not too.", Itachi said. "The hokage takes me and the organization far too lightly."

"How to you figure?", Gaara asked.

"If he was smart he would have killed me before he even left the hidden waterfall.", Itachi answered.

"Then, do you wish for death?", Gaara asked.

"Yes.", Itachi replied. "I think from the beging that was all I wanted. But, up until now nobody could give it to me. I killed every fool of that entire clan looking for one that could chalenge me, I even left my brother alive, thinking that through his thirst fot revenge he would obtain the power needed, but even he is still too weak."

"And then there's Naruto.", Gaara said.

"Yes, wouldn't it be my luck, that the shinobi that finaly exceeds me is kind at heart.", Itachi said with a slight laugh.

"So, what do you plan to do now?", Gaara asked.

"Its not like I have much choice in the matter.", Itachi said. "I'm now in the custody of the Lord Hokage."

"Thats not true.", Gaara replied. "I'm the only one awake, you could easily escape right now if you wanted, you could go back to Akatsuki and tell them Kisame is dead and all that has happened, but I don't think you want to."

"Mabye your right.", Itachi said. "I think I want to see where the path of this shinobi goes."

At that Itachi looked over at Naruto.

"Besides, he will lead me to my brother.", Itachi said. "And I need to see him one last time..."

--------------------------------

The door opened again, this time a much darker figure entering.

"Ah, so they really did send you down here.", the prisoner said.

"Don't waste my time old man.", the Uchiha said. "What do you want?"

"Now now.", the prisoner said. "thats no way to treat your elders."

"I'll ask you one more time, and then I'm leaving.", the Uchiha said. "What do you want?"

"Fine, fine, have it your way.", the prisoner said. "What I want to know is, what does Orochimaru plan with Konoha?"

"And what makes you think I would tell you that?", the Uchiha asked.

"Because.", the prisoner replied. "you care nothing for Orochimaru or his plans, so what would it matter if you told an old man like me?"

"Thats true.", the Uchiha said. "In truth, things have been far too easy for him lately, and I hear the Hokage is gone from Konoha."

At this the prisoner got a slight worried look on his face, but only for a split second, so as not to alert the Uchiha.

"You know", the Uchiha said. "I'd like to see what you can do in this kind of situation. Orochimaru marches on Konoha in three days. He takes with him three-hundred shinobi, myself, and...", but he was cut off.

"That little prick.", the prisoner said. "God I hate him, I mean really, coming down here all the time and disturbing me, if Orochimaru thought that was funny, its not."

"You really are amusing, old man.", the Uchiha said.

With that he turned towards the door, when he was a step out the doorway he heard the prisoner's voice.

"Can you really do this without feeling any kind of sorrow?", the prisoner asked.

"I you think me", the Uchiha said. "someone who holds any kind of sentaments for that village at all, you are wrong."

"There are shinobi in that village that still believe there is hope in you.", the prisoner said.

"I am afraid", the Uchiha replied. "that you are wrong there too. I have broken every last tie I had with those fools."

"Are you so sure of that?", the prisoner asked.

"Let me tell you something old man.", the Uchiha said. "I care nothing for that village or its villagers for that matter. I care nothing for this entire world's existance. And I care nothing for the past, nor the present, nor the future. I lament only for _that _day".

And with that he left the room. After walking for a while he heard an explosion, which caused Kabuto to run out into the hall.

"What was that!", Kabuto asked, worried.

"The prisoner has escaped.", the Uchiha said calmly.

"What!", Kabuto yelled, running off for Orochimaru.

The Uchiha turned around and kept walking.

--------------------------------

Everyone was waking up, they were now minutes from Konoha.

"Is everyone ready?", Naruto asked.

"Yeah.", came from everyone, except Itachi.

"Gaara, which side are we coming from?", Naruto asked.

"We'll come up on the tower first.", Gaara replied.

"Ok.", Naruto replied, thinking of their stradegy, when he was tapped on the shoulder by Shikamaru.

"If your thinking up a plan, don't worry.", Shikamaru said.

"Ha, thats right.", Naruto said, feeling a little better.

Everyone was quite for a few more minutes, when suddenly they saw smoke in the distance.

"My brother is here.", Itachi said.

"Gaara, step on it!", Naruto shouted.

"Yeah, I know!", Gaara shouted back, now worried himself.

The platform of sand landed right infront of the tower, and as they touched ground, the shinobi of the Leaf stood in horor. What they looked upon was an empty village and a burning tower.

* * *

This ends Chapter 11 of The Last Shinobi War, please read and review.


	12. That Day

Ok, so this is late, but I have an excuse, you see I've been working on my first two Naruto amvs. Both of them are set to the same song, but one is a Naruto vs Sasuke amv and the other is a Lee vs Gaara. The links to both of them are in my profile, so check them out. Thanks to Steve225 and Harteramo for the reviews. Chapter 12 coming at ya.

I don't own the Naruto franchise, or any of its characters.

* * *

**_Chapter 12: "That" Day_**

Naruto fell to his knees at the horrific image. Everyone was in complete shock, then Sakura looked over at Shikamaru who seemed to be relatvily calm.

"Shikamaru?", Sakura asked, worried about him.

"Anyone see Itachi anywhere?", Shikamaru asked calmly.

"No.", Sakura answered.

"Exactly.", Shikamaru said. "Sakura, give me some help here."

Then it clicked in Sakura's head.

"Release!" came from Shikamaru and Sakura.

The image they saw seemed to fade away, but it was replaced with one only slightly better. People could be seen fighting in the streets. Most of the buildings were either burning, or already destroyed. As they looked up at the tower, it was not longer burning, but surrounded by a purple flame. Naruto looked around in a daze for a second before he came to his senses.

"Neji?", Naruto said blinking.

Just then five sound nins went flying through the gates of the village, having fallen victim to Neji's rotation technique.

"Naruto!", Neji yelled running toward the hokage.

"Neji!", Naruto said in a state of haste. "where are the others, whats our situation?"

"All the others were ok last time I checked.", Neji responded. "but nobody has a clue what Orochimaru did to the tower, I can't see through it."

"Shikamaru", Naruto said, looking over a his stratigist.

"Yeah, give me one more sec.", Shikamaru said thinking. "Ok, here it goes. We can assume Orochimaru is in the tower, thats who we need to hit, right? But we can't afford to all check it out, the village is too heavily under attack."

"Neji", Naruto said, interupting Shikamaru. "any sign of _him_."

"No", Neji replied. "I don't think we would have been able to hold them off so long if he had appeared."

"He's here alright.", Gaara said.

Everyone turned and looked at him.

"The Uchiha came here for him.", Gaara said. "Thats where he's gone."

Naruto looked back at Shikamaru, as if asking him to continue, based on this new information.

"Right", Shikamaru said. "if we are to assume that _he_ is in the tower with Orochimaru, then that's where Itachi went, so we'll need a strong team to go in and take care of it, but we need a good number of shinobi on the front lines too. Neji, whats are death toll so far?"

"High", Neji said. "I can't be sure how many, but most of our forces are gone."

"Ok then", Shikamaru continued. "we can only spare two to go in the tower, the rest will push back enemy forces."

"Me and Gaara can take care of the tower.", Naruto said.

"No.", Shikamaru said. "I need Gaara to help our defences, he has the most wide spread and damaging attacks."

"Ok then", Naruto said. "Then whos gonna.."

"I'll go.", came from Hinata.

"Hinata...", Naruto said under his breath, then he spoke up. "Fine, no time to lose."

"Right!", Hinata said, and the two of them dashed off towards the tower base.

"Now", Shikamaru said. "that leaves us to.."

But just then they all heard a scream and turned to see a leaf shinobi fall over. The sound nin that had struck the leaf shinobi down turned to see the five shinobi, and gave a hand signal. At that four dozen sound nins came out of nowhere.

--------------------------------

"The flame", Naruto said. "You can't see through it, right?"

"Nuh uh.", Hinata said, shaking her said.

"Ok then, we'll have to think of a way to get through.", Naruto said.

Naruto started rumiging around for a scroll.

"Got it.", Naruto said, pulling a scroll open. "Fire sealing technique!"

The purple flames swirled around a bit, as if about to yeild to the jutsu, then after a few seconds they resumed their original places.

"Damn it.", Naruto said, thinking of another way to get in.

"We could go back and ask Shikamaru to think of something.", Hinata said.

"We don't have that much time.", Naruto said. "Plus.."

Naruto looked over to the other's location, there was suddenly an explosion in the distance, at this Naruto flinched.

"They're fine.", Hinata said.

"Yeah.", Naruro said, looking back at the purple flame. "How are we ever going to..."

But at this the purple flame started to move, forming an archway just big enought to pass through.

"What the?", Hinata said, but Naruto grabbed at her arm before she could finish.

"Come on!", Naruto said running through the pathway.

Just as Naruto and Hinata passed through, the flame resealed, blocking the path back.

"I've got a bad feeling about this.", Hinata said.

"Yeah, me too.", Naruto said. "But now that we're here."

At this Naruto looked up at the tower, walking towards the base entrance.

"Lets go!", Naruto said, opening the door.

--------------------------------

Itachi rushed up another flight of stairs. He reached a door a flung it open.

"Sixth floor.", Itachi muttered to himself. "Theres a path to the left and right. I don't sense any life to the right, so I'll go left.

At this he dashed off until he reached a mirror where the door to the next stairway should have been.

"Whats this.", Itachi said to himself. "If its one of you or brothers tricks Orochimaru, it won't work on me."

Itachi closed his eyes, and when he reopened them, the mirror shattered. Itachi started up the next flight of stairs, the mirror reconstructing behind him.

--------------------------------

"Thats 62, you'll never catch up to me now Kakashi!", Gai shouted from across a few buildings at Kakashi.

"I was late you know.", Kakashi said. "Which means this isn't really fair."

Just then another sound nin went flying by.

"32.", Kakashi said.

"Come on, don't be a sore loser just because your always late to everything.", Gai shouted over at Kakashi.

"Fine.", Kakashi said. "I can play too."

"Hm?", Gai said, looking over at Kakashi.

"Fang pursuit jutsu!", Kakashi yelled.

All of Kakashi's tracking dogs apearded before him.

"Ok guys", Kakashi said. "This time you get to be in on the action, seek and destroy."

At that the dogs scattered.

"Thats not fair Kakashi", Gai said. "Their kills don't count."

"Its my jutsu that summoned them.", Kakashi said with a smirk. Just then six sound shinobi went flying past, having been taken out by Lee and Tenten.

"Hey, will you two stop screwing around!", Tenten yelled at the two jonin.

--------------------------------

The sound nins struggled but it was no use.

"Huh? I can't move my body."

"Me either."

"Whats going on?"

"I'm afraid", Shikamaru said from the roof top of one of the buildings. "you are trapped in my shadow bind jutsu."

"You little Konoha brat!"

"Let us go!"

"This is your que Temari.", Shikamaru said.

"Gotcha.", Temari said, waving her fan in the direction of Shikamaru's bound sond nin, causing them to go flying off in all directions.

"Good job", Shikamaru said.

"Oh course.", Temari said. "What were you expecting?"

"Eh, nothing.", Shikamaru said.

"And whats that mean?", Temari said, smacking a sound nin in the face.

"This is going to be a troublesome day isn't it?", Shikamaru muttered to him self.

--------------------------------

"Thank you Sakura-sama.", a Konoha nin said as Sakura healed their wounds.

"Don't mention it.", Sakura said. "Sorry to run but a lot of people need treating.", and with that she was off.

"Ok", Sakura thought to herself, "I've gotta find any wounded and help them."

Sakura leapt from building to building, healing Konoha's shinobi until she reached the hokage mansion.

"Stop right there Sakura-sama."

"Huh?", Sakura looked up at the roof of the mansion. "Who's there?"

"Now now, don't tell me you can't recall my voice.", and with that Kabuto leaped down to face the medical ninja.

"Kabuto, you slime.", Sakura said.

"Come come, we can't have to healing all this damage thats been done.", Kabuto said. "Then again, most of Konoha's ninja are beyond medical treatment."

"You monster.", Sakura said, pulling out her gloves and preparing to take Kabuto head on.

"Hm, the sole surviving student of the late 5th Hokage", Kabuto said with interest. "I wonder how you'll fare?"

"Don't you dare speak of the 5th!", Sakura said enraged.

"Ah, a touchy subject I see.", Kabuto said. "Well, lets get started, shall we?"

"Bring it on!", Sakura said charging Kabuto.

Kabuto side stepped her at the last minute and turned around to deal a blow to the chest, just before it made contact however, his palm was stopped by a shield of sand.

"Huh, whats this?", Kabuto said, looking around.

"Gaara?", Sakura asked, looking up to see Gaara standing on a cloud of sand.

"Sakura", Gaara said, "the ninja of Konoha need your medical treatment, you don't have time to be playing around with this fool of a ninja. Let me take care of this."

"Thanks.", Sakura said, running off, Kabuto tried to stop her, but was held by Gaara's sand.

"Damn.", Kabuto thought to himself, he was in a bad situation and he knew it.

"Your attacks are fatal", Gaara said, "but they require close quarter contact, and you won't be able to lay a finger on me."

--------------------------------

"Which floor is this?", Naruto asked.

"5th, I think.", Hinata replied.

"Damn it, this makes no sence.", Naruto said.

"What do you mean?", Hinata asked.

"Look out side.", Naruto said, gesturing over to the window.

Hinata looked out to see that they weren't even half way to the top.

"This must be some kind of genjutsu.", Hinata said.

"But it can't be", Naruto said. "not normal genjutsu anyway, between the two of us we would have seen through that."

"True, but either way all we can do is keep climbing floors.", Hinata said. "and look on the bright side, at least we're getting closer to the top."

"Heh, I guess so.", Naruto said approaching the stairway to the 6th floor.

--------------------------------

"Interesting.", Itachi said under his breath looking down at the table. "Now what is this for?"

Itachi stood for a few seconds translating the writing on the scrolls layed out.

"Hm, now why would something like this be here.", Itachi asked himself. "But of course, my little brother must have made a trip home."

And with that Itachi walked over to the door to the 10th floor, bit his thumb and wiped his blood across the door in a diagonal slash, causing the door to open.

"Foolish little brother.", Itachi said to the darkness.

And the darkness replied. "Uchiha Itachi..."

--------------------------------

"Sixth floor!", Naruto said triumpinthly, until he realized there was a dead end. "Now what?"

"Left I think", Hinata said. "There are foot prints leading to the left."

"Must be Itachi's", Naruto said. "He's getting careless."

"That is unless he wants to be followed.", Hinata said.

"Hm, what makes you think that?", Naruto asked reaching a mirror where the door for the next stairway should have been.

"Nothing, I just have this feeling.", Hinata said, walking up to the mirror. "What do you think this is all about?"

"No clue.", Naruto said.

Then suddenly more people started apearing in the mirror.

"What in the world?", Naruto said under his breath.

More and more people appeared in the mirror surrounding Naruto and Hinata's images; Sakura, Lee, Neji, Tenten, Shino, Shikamaru, Temari, Ino, Sai, Gaara, and then one last person that was hard to make out.

"This is...everyone.", Hinata said, trying to understand what was going on.

"Look.", Naruto said, as the image changed again.

Now everyone was aging, not a lot, if anything they seemed more mature. The only ones not changing were Naruto and Hinata. They all looked so happy, but the happier they grew, the more and more Naruto and Hinata seemed to fade away.

"I don't understand Naruto-kun.", Hinata said, looking worried.

"Me neither, this is so weird.", Naruto said.

Then Naruto and Hinata heard a voice come from the mirror.

"Do you wish to pass?"

"Who the hell is this!", Naruto yelled at the mirror.

"Now now, no need to be so rude, after all I know of the only way past.", the voice said.

"Then please tell us.", Hinata said.

"Its very simple.", the voice said. "You may only pass through this mirror with half of what you are."

"What?", Naruto said, not understanding at all.

"Half of what we are?", Hinata repeated, equally confused.

"Exactly.", the voice said. "You two are very interesting."

"And what does that mean?", Naruto said.

"It means you are one in the same, a very odd thing.", the voice said.

"One in the same?", Hinata said puzzled.

"Yes, never have two shinobi approached me with a bond like this.", the voice said. "its very interesting indeed. You see, normaly those who wish to pass must go through the mirror. Which would split them into two, leaving one half on this side, and the other half on the other."

"Split them in half?", Hinata asked.

"Not literaly of course, you see its an old trick, I believe it originated in the Uchiha clan.", the voice said. "its splits you spiritualy, but you two, should one of you pass through, it is not unlikely that one of you would make it to the other side whole, while the other whole on this side."

"Wait, this makes no sense at all!", Naruto said, trying to take in everything the voice was saying.

"Its very simple, you are half of what that young Hyuga is and vice versa.", the voice said, as if this was a common conversation.

"What about the image we see when we look in the mirror.?", Hinata asked.

"Oh, that.", the voice said. "Well, I'll tell you what, if one of you goes throught the mirror, I'll explain the image to the one who is left behind."

"Why can't you tell us both?", Naruto asked, starting to get upset by the situation.

"Because its once again very simple.", the voice said. "if you two are one in the same, what would be the point of telling you twice, hm?"

"We don't have time for this!", Naruto shouted. "This makes no sense at all!"

"Naruto-kun, I think you should try to go through.", Hinata said.

"Are you sure?" Naruto asked. "This whole thing could be some kind of genjutsu trick."

"I can't make any sense of it either," Hinata said. "but the voice said it'd explain it everything to one of us if the other left."

"But this is crazy", Naruto said.

"Here", Hinata said, grabbing Naruto's arm and shoving it into the mirror. His arm seemed to fade through it.

"See.", Hinata said. "This is clearly some kind of jutsu, so you go on ahead and I might get enough answers to despell it."

"Hinata...", Naruto said, looking into the mirror, the image of him and Hinata was now almost completely gone. "You better catch up with me."

At this Hinata laughed. "I'll be right behind you."

With that Hinata gave Naruto a kiss and he stepped through the mirror looking back worried.

"So, only one half is left.", the voice said.

"Yes, now explain this all to me.", Hinata said.

"Ah yes, that old mirror.", the voice said. "now let me tell you of the fools known as Uchiha."

--------------------------------

"Is this really all you can muster?", Itachi said, dodging another of his brother's blows.

"Don't underestimate me older brother.", the young Uchiha said, pulling a kuni from his sleeve and charging his brother.

"This is foolish.", Itachi said, flicking his fist up behind him, hitting an invisible Sasuke.

At this the Sasuke charging him disappeared.

"Pathetic.", Itachi said to himself. "And to think I had thought you had finally come to an age where you could chalenge me."

At this another Sasuke came from underground and punched Itachi under the jaw, only to reveal that he was another clone. When Sasuke looked around to see where the real Itachi was he gasped as a kuni slit his throt from behind.

"Clones, replacments, amuter skills.", Itachi said, becoming very frusterated. "Come little brother, I know far too well that you are more advanced than this, now show me your true self."

At that another door opened and Uchiha Sasuke entered facing Itachi. His black cloak was gone, now replaced with clothes similar to those worn by Orochimaru.

"My eyes.", the young Uchiha said. "Can you see them brother?"

"Yes, I see what has become of you.", Itachi said. "Come before me when you have the same eyes as me. I said that didn't I? But, it would seem you took a different meaning to what I intended. Truly you are lost."

"Lost.", the Uchiha said. "But the conterary, I now have your true eyes, you just can't see it."

"My true eyes?", Itachi asked.

"Those that have only been seen once, but those that reside deep inside you.", the young Uchiha said. "The eyes that are only seen when one looks upon his closest friend and feels no pain in the world to kill him."

"In the end you are pathetic.", Itachi said. "Acting as if your darkness has granted you strength, when really after coming all this way, you understand nothing."

"Fine then, show me older brother!", Sasuke said, forming the handsigns of Chidori.

"I suppose I'll have to explain to you through different means", Itachi said. "what it truely means to lose everything, and to not have one last ambition or reason to live in this pathetic world."

"You would dare to say this to me!", Sasuke yelled.

"Fool.", Itachi muttered closing his eyes.

"Now Uchiha Itachi, die!", Sasuke yelled, charging him with his chidori at full strength.

--------------------------------

"Damn it!", Naruto said, as he failed once again to get past the door to the 10th floor.

"Rasengan!", Naruto yelled, slaming his jutsu into the door, but it was no use.

"How will I ever get past this?", Naruto said to himself. "I know these scrolls are probably some kind of clue, but I can barely make out a word of them."

Naruto looked again at the old scrolls.

"Uchiha text.", Naruto muttered. "Gaara is good at translating this."

Naruto pased around thinking of what to do, and it was worring him that after all this time he had spent at this floor, Hinata had still not caught up with him.

"What in the world should I do?", Naruto said to the darkness in the room.

Just then Naruto heard an explosion in the next room.

"What the hell is going on in there?", Naruto said walking closer to the door.

--------------------------------

Another explosion.

"I will come at you until one of us is dead!", Sasuke yelled, charging Itachi once again.

"Chidori!", Itachi yelled, having copied it with the sharingan.

And the two of them clashed again.

"You are stonger indeed, but you are still weak.", Itachi said, taunting Sasuke.

"Your talk means nothing now!", Sasuke said, lunging at Itachi again.

Another explsion.

"Did you know that as of late I was being held in the custidy of the Hokage of the Hidden Leaf?", Itachi said.

"What?", Sasuke said stopping and looking puzzled.

"It seems that the one who you once considered your rival has surpassed me in strength.", Itachi said, knowing all too well where this would lead.

"What?", Sasuke muttered under his breath.

"You would think after all your efforts you would have surpassed him", Itachi said. "yet you have not."

Sasuke stood in rage, his eyes growing darker and darker.

"Why are you still so weak?", Itachi asked.

At this the entire floor of the tower was iluminated blue, the windows were blown out and the sinobi fighting in the village looked in amazment as the purple flame around the 10th floor of the tower was blown away.

Naruto held onto the support beams in the room to stop from flying away. Then suddenly the doors to the 10th floor flew open and the aftermath of the explosion died down.

"Itachi?", Naruto said, looking into the next room as the smoke cleared.

As everything cleared away, two Uchiha could be seen laying on opposite sides of the room, Itachi closest to Naruto.

"Whats going on?", Naruto asked.

"Stay where you are!", Itachi demanded standing up.

"YOU!", Sasuke yelled, seeing Naruto, but as he tried to stand up his knee caved and he fell back down.

"6th Hokage of the Village Hidden in the Leaves.", Itachi said, still facing Sasuke. "I am in debt to you for giving me this chance to teach my foolish brother his final lesson in life."

"What?", Naruto asked.

"To fufil this debt I will share with you a piece of information, reguarding Akatsuki. At this time there are seven living members of the organization, excluding me. They now posses all of the tailed beast except that which they seek most, the nine-tailed fox."

"Why are you telling me this?", Naruto asked, but Itachi just kept talking, now pulling a sword from his robes.

"They now reside in the village hidden in the mist, and are planning on making their move soon. They will attack with a force the likes of which you have never seen, and should you wish to stop them I would act now. You see, I never cared much for other humans of this world, and therefore hold no attachments to those of that organization. In truth I would be very ammused to see how you will fare against them."

"All of this..", Naruto said. "What in the world are you planning."

"Ah but you see.", Itachi replied, just as Sasuke started to get to his feet. "What I'm planning isn't in this world at all."

Sasuke got up, but could barely move from the injuries he suffered in the explosion.

"Now I will show you true darkness, true hatred, the likes of which you have no comprehention.", Itachi said to Sasuke. "You have devoted your entire life to killing me."

At this Itachi rose his drawn sword into the air.

"You have given up everything for it.", Itachi continued. "You have broken every bond and made every sacrifice, all to have the satisfaction of taking my life."

At this Sasuke seemed to regain some of his strength.

"Now", Itachi said. "What will happen when that satisfaction is placed forever out of your grasp?"

Naruto and Sasuke both saw it coming, both made a move to stop him, but it was too late. Itachi drove his sword straight through his heart. Sasuke stood in horror, unable to conprehend what was happening. As he fell to his knees Itachi's final words escaped his lips.

"Little brother...you're still so...far away..."

* * *

This ends Chapter 12 of The Last Shinobi War. Please Read and Review.


	13. Naruto and Hinata

After….well, way too long, the highly anticipated…or something like that, Chapter 13 is finally here. This is a chapter the likes of which I have never really written before or probably ever will again, which is what makes it one of my favorites. Not to question anybody's memory, but unless you're a new reader, you might want to go back and skim over the old chapters seeing as its been like 3 months since the last update. Not that its that important in this particular chapter, but you never know. I hope you enjoy it and I'm sorry again for the horribly long delay. Chapter 13 coming at ya.

I don't own the Naruto franchise or any of its characters.

* * *

**_Chapter 13: Naruto and Hinata_**

---four months ago---

Naruto was sitting at his desk as he normally did, day after day. After a while he turned around to look out the window and noticed it was an unusually sunny day outside. Then there was a knock on the door.

"Come in."

"Hokage-sama.", came the voice of Nara Shikamaru.

"Hey Shikamaru." Naruto said. "Whats up?"

"What else", Shikamaru replied.

"More papers?", Naruto asked.

"Yep.", Shikamaru said, placing the new paper on the young hokage's desk.

"That's just great." Naruto said sarcastically, picking up the report and reading it.

"So whats it about?" Shikamaru asked.

"Says here" Naruto read, "Undon noticed our northeast boundaries looked vulnerable and thinks they need to be looked over and reinforced. Says he would have done it but he noticed the problem on the way to a mission so he didn't really have time."

"You should probably send at least two people to scout it out." Shikamaru said. "You know, get a couple of opinions, plus who knows how safe it is out there these days. There's probably a few enemy squads patrolling the area right now."

"Don't say that." Naruto said, depressingly.

"Well anyway" Shikamaru said, "who are you sending, need me to get anybody?"

"You wanna go?" Naruto asked, "You'd probably make the best evaluation of the situation."

"You've given me a mission already, remember?" Shikamaru said. "I'm leaving with Sakura in an hour."

"Damn, that's right." Naruto said trying to think of somebody else that'd be good for the mission.

"To tell you the truth, I can't really think of anyone here that you could afford to send." Shikamaru said.

"Huh?" Naruto said flipping through a booklet of papers to see who was on what mission. "Oh wait, here we go."

"Who is it?" Shikamaru asked.

"Hinata's here." Naruto said.

"Oh that's good." Shikamaru replied. "Her byakugan will be good for this mission."

"Alright then" Naruto said as if that was everything.

"Naruto" Shikamaru said. "you still need a second person."

"Eh…", Naruto said, thinking. "I don't have anyone."

"You sure?" Shikamaru asked.

"I guess I could go with her" Naruto said. "I'm gonna be reading the report anyway, might as well go there myself."

"You think that's safe?" Shikamaru asked.

"Yeah it'll be fine" Naruto said. "you and Sakura will be back by tomorrow morning won't you? If we're not back by then you two can look after the place."

"Sounds good to me." Shikamaru said.

"Just don't make any crazy decisions while I'm gone." Naruto said.

"Yeah.", Shikamaru said lazily, walking out the door.

"I'm joking." Naruto said as Shikamaru waved and closed the door.

--------------------------------

"Ye-es Naruto-kun?" Hinata said, in the same nervous voice she had had for twenty-five years.

"Oh Hinata!" Naruto said, looking up from his desk. "I've got a mission for us."

"Ju-just the two of us?" Hinata said nervously.

"Yeah, I don't think we'll need anybody else." Naruto said. "It's just a simple scouting mission."

"O-oh, that's good." Hinata stuttered.

"Yeah, it might take a while though." Naruto said. "The mission is to check out the northeast of the border, so we're gonna have to take the path through the mountains to get an accurate account for the area."

"Um, how long do I have to get ready?" Hinata said, looking down.

"Meet me at the gate in a few hours" Naruto said "we're not in that much of a rush."

"Alright," Hinata said leaving. "se-ee you Naruto-kun."

When the door closed Naruto leaned back in his chair and started up at the ceiling.

"After all these years I still don't understand that girl" Naruto said to himself.

Naruto turned around to look out the window and saw Hinata walking home. It was a few seconds before he realized that he following her image as she walked down the street.

"Whoa." Naruto said, turning back around and shaking his head a bit. "That was weird."

He looked around the room, yawned, and stood up to leave.

--------------------------------

A couple of hours later Naruto came running down the street towards the gate. When he reached the gate and saw Hinata was there waiting for him he got a little red.

"Crap, I hope she hasn't been waiting long." Naruto thought to himself.

"Hey Hinata!" Naruto said, as he came up to her.

"Naruto-kun, yo-ou're here!" Hinata said in an excited voice, as if she had thought she imagined the meeting that had taken place two hours ago.

"Hope you haven't been waiting that long." Naruto said, with a smile.

"No-o, I just got here to-oo" Hinata said, with her usual stutter.

"Well" Naruto said. "like I said earlier, to get an accurate report of the area we can't skip anything, we'll go through the woods till we get to the Fire Country's eastern border mountain path, which is where it'll get a little annoying."

"I'm re-eady when you are, Naruto-kun." Hinata said, with a shy grin at the thought of being on a long mission by herself with Naruto.

"Alrighty then." Naruto said, pulling on the straps of his backpack. "lets go!"

--------------------------------

The journey to the mountain path would be little less then a day long. The two shinobi jumped through the trees in silence for the first few minutes of the journey. Naruto had never realized how awkward he still was around Hinata after all these years. Then again, he was always with her in a group.

"She must be more talkative in a group then one on one." Naruto thought to himself as they leaped through the trees. Then he thought about it some more. "That's stupid, why would somebody be more talkative in a group then one on one. But if that's true, what is it?"

Naruto glanced over at Hinata who was looking a bit nervous. He tried to catch her eye, but she kept looking straight ahead.

All the while, as Naruto was mentally going through the situation, Hinata was doing the same thing.

"I wonder if I should say something?" Hinata thought to herself. "But then again, Naruto-kun always starts up conversations with people, for him to not be talking to me he must…maybe…he doesn't want to talk to me…"

Naruto looked over at Hinata who looked far more depressed then she did a few moments earlier.

"Damn it" Naruto thought, this can't turn out well.

Then a thought came to Hinata. "Maybe its not that he doesn't want to talk to me, maybe he doesn't want to talk to anyone. That's right" Hinata thought to reassure herself. "Naruto-kun is so busy now, I bet he doesn't even have time to contemplate things like…well…"

And then it seemed to hit him.

"Its so obvious" Naruto thought. "But…how do you bring up something like that? You can't just come out and say it….screw it, it can't make things more awkward than they are."

"Hinata." Naruto said, in a clam voice, not looking over at her. "Your…nervous, around me, aren't you?"

At this Hinata blushed to the point that Naruto thought she would lose her balance jumping and he'd have to catch her.

"That might be a good thing though." Naruto thought.

But he wished he hadn't, because right when the thought crossed his mind Hinata tripped over a branch and started to fall.

"Gotcha!" Naruto said jumping over to Hinata, catching her in his arms and landing on a near by tree branch.

Hinata blushed the reddest she had ever been in her life at the thought of being held in Naruto's arms. Naruto saw this and let go.

"So, is that a yes?" Naruto said, looking nervous.

"Huh?" Hinata said confused. "I'm sorry Naruto-kun I must have not heard you, I had something on my mind."

"Oh" Naruto said, a little disappointed and a little relived at the same time. "It was nothing."

"You sure?" Hinata said, looking worried that she had missed something important.

"I'm sure" Naruto said, with a smile Hinata couldn't distrust. "Lets get going!"

"Alright" Hinata said, smiling a little back.

And with that they were off for another few hours.

--------------------------------

"Well that" Naruto thought to himself after what seemed to be like an eternity of verbal and mental silence. "went very well. I can not believe how incredibly stupid I was! Why would I ask her that? What was I expecting her to say? I'm nervous around you cause I like you?"

And then Naruto got a weird expression on his face that made Hinata worried.

"Maybe" Naruto thought. "that is what I wanted her to say. But this is ridiculous. I barely know her. Its been so long since the two of us have been together, the last time was…"

At that Naruto started to remember back to the good old days, back when _he_ was still around and everyone was happy. And the more Naruto thought back, the more memories seemed to jolt into his head. They were always the same. A nervous Hinata would say some words of encouragement and Naruto would be overly hyper about the situation and scare Hinata into blushing raw.

And all the memories seemed so…happy. It made Naruto feel good inside to think about how he and Hinata were when they were little.

"It really has been a long time…" Naruto accidentally said out loud.

"Since what?" Hinata said, looking worried about Naruto.

"Do you realize how long its been since the two of us were really together?" Naruto said, now that he realized Hinata had heard him.

"Wh-hat do you mean?" Hinata said, wondering where Naruto was going.

"After Sasuke left…" and at this Naruto stopped and Hinata looked a little shocked, but he continued. "I left too. For two and a half years I didn't see anyone. And then I finally came back, and I was so obsessed with finding him, I didn't pay any attention to the people that were important, people like you."

At this Hinata's heart started racing.

"Naruto-kun thinks I'm important?" Hinata thought to herself in a rush.

She was about to say something, but Naruto kept talking.

"And then the war started, and everything seemed so crazy. Every time I was able to stop to take a breath a new mission or a new battle came around. In the course of nine years I probably saw you as much as I did in our one rookie year. Nine damn years. Think of everything I've missed out on. All the things I don't know about you, things you don't know about me. Its so stupid when you think about it, isn't it?"

Hinata paused for a moment, not knowing whether he wanted her to answer or not. She finally decided to speak up.

"We-ell, I was gone too." Hinata said. "I been on and off the battlefield, I've missed out on my little sister growing up, and over the years I've forgotten to celebrate over half my birthdays because I haven't been home to do it."

Hinata took a breath, at which point Naruto spoke up, shocked that Hinata said so much at once.

"I'm so sorry Hinata" Naruto said. "I didn't mean to sound like my problems were worse then yours."

"But that's not what I meant at all." Hinata said, interrupting a very shocked Naruto. "Its kinda nice, ya know…we share the same problems…we…we have so much in common."

At this Hinata looked down as if she had insulted Naruto by talking to him so much.

"Hinata…" Naruto started. "I'd…like to know more about you."

"H-huh?" Hinata said, blushing madly.

"Lets stop here for the night." Naruto said, dropping down into a clearing in the woods. "This is real close to the mountain path, we can start up it tomorrow morning."

At this Naruto lit a quick fire with his fireball jutsu and sat down next to it. Naruto looked up at Hinata who was a little confused.

"Come on" Naruto said, patting a patch on the ground next to him.

Hinata walked over and sat down next to Naruto, pulling her legs close to her body and staring into the fire.

"What'd ya say?" Naruto said, looking into the fire too. "Lets catch up."

At that Hinata looked over at Naruto, who was still staring into the fire.

"So, lets hear some stories." Naruto said, looking over at Hinata and smiling.

"Yo-ou…want to hear about me?" Hinata said, in slight disbelief.

"Sure do" Naruto said, leaning back on his hands and looking at the stars. "More than anything."

Hinata almost fell in the fire, but caught herself and looked over at Naruto with an expression of pure terror.

"What should I say?" Hinata's thoughts started racing. "What kind of stories does he like? Should I tell him about the war…or is that too touchy. I don't know what to do!"

And then Naruto looked over at her with the most pure smile she had ever seen in her life, and all her thoughts just melted away.

"We-ell…lets see?" Hinata said, with her finger on her lip. "Where to start?"

And that night Hinata stuttered through twelve years of her life. And then she listened closer than she had ever listened before, with her arms hugging her legs close to her chest, as Naruto shared all his amazing adventures. The two of them talked far past sunrise. Hinata almost got up to leave the next morning, but Naruto said it would be fine if they got in a few hours sleep, saying "they weren't in that much of a hurry."

--------------------------------

The next day Naruto woke up and saw Hinata a few yards away pacing around and looking up into the clouds. The sight of her just made Naruto beam. When she turned around and saw his smile she started to blush and sent a smile right back.

"Lets get going." Naruto said, standing up.

"Ye-eah." Hinata said, almost more nervous around Naruto then ever before after exchanging life stories with him the night before.

As Naruto had said the night before, the two shinobi were very close to the mountain path, after just a few minutes of leaping through the trees they came to the base of a mountain, and started their hike.

"In a little bit." Naruto said, keeping a steady pace. "we'll be coming up on the path that leads straight over the northeastern border. Its real narrow, so we'll have to go single file."

"Sounds a little dangerous." Hinata said, worried.

"If anything creepy." Naruto said, picking up the pace a little.

"C-creepy?" Hinata said, speeding up.

"The path" Naruto said. "over looks the Valley of the End. That valley brings nothing but sorrow. If it was up to me we'd take a different road all together, but the path up the mountain is the main part needing examination."

"The Valley of the End…" Hinata said, her voice growing slightly softer.

"Ah, don't even think about that place." Naruto said, getting a slight smile back. "Look, here's where the path starts."

At that Naruto pointed left, to a very narrow path right on the edge of the mountain.

"If you would" Naruto said. "This is where this mission starts, I'm gonna need you to activate the Byakugan, from here on out the analysis of the area begins."

"Of course!" Hinata said, activating the byakugan and taking a look around.

"Since we're going singe file on the path" Naruto said. "I'll stay in front to make sure its safe, and I'll need you to keep constant watch, anything that looks odd will be reported to…well, me, who will in turn send a team out here to fix whatever it is we're looking for."

"Go-ot it!" Hinata said, with a little salute that made Naruto laugh and Hinata blush.

"One more thing" Naruto said. "the rock around this area is highly explosive, so lets go ahead and drop any flares we have, etc."

"Oh, ok" Hinata said, taking a few things out of her bag and tossing them next to a rock where she'd remember to come back for them on the way home.

As the reached the beginning of the path Hinata looked down a little nervous.

"I can't see the bottom" Hinata said. "even with my byakugan, the fog is too thick to see the bottom."

"Don't worry" Naruto said. "It'll be fine"

So, the two of them started up the long, dangerous path. A few times Hinata pointed out little problems in the borders defense around different angles of the mountain, and Naruto made mental notes of it.

Everything went good for the next few hours. Then around sundown a crow flew out of nowhere and made Naruto jump.

"Whoa!" Naruto said, as he tripped back a little.

He didn't notice that a kunai had fallen out of his back pouch and landed straight in the ground, making a crack in the fragile path. Not thinking anything of it Hinata walked forward, only for the path to crumple under her.

"NARUTO-KUN!" Hinata yelled as she slipped and fell off the cliff.

"HINATA!" Naruto screamed as he jumped off after her.

Naruto fell for a few yards before he caught up with her. He pulled Hinata close to him and braced for impact, not being able to see the bottom. After a few more seconds there was a crash and Naruto made impact.  
"Naruto-kun!" Hinata screamed in fear as she got up off Naruto.

"I'm ok, I'm ok." Naruto said, getting up slowly. "It'll take more than a little fall to kill me."

Naruto wished he hadn't said that last part, as it seemed to make Hinata flinch a bit.

"Its alright." Naruto said. "Come on, we need to find a way out of here."

"Ye-eah" Hinata said, turning and activating her byakugan again.

"Having trouble?" Naruto said, to a frustrated looking Hinata.

"Its just…I should be able to see better in this fog" Hinata said. "I don't understand."

"Its because this fog is made of chakra" Naruto said.

"Chakra?" Hinata repeated, confused.

"We're right near the base of the valley now" Naruto said. "they say that long ago two warriors fought in the valley, in the end the shinobi who fought to save his friend lost the battle and in turn curse the land forever."

"I've never heard that story." Hinata said, looking interested.

"Jiraiya-same told me about it." Naruto said.

Just then Naruto and Hinata heard a rumbling from above them, but couldn't see whatever it was making the noise.

"Naruto-kun" Hinata said. "I-I have a bad feeling."

"Yeah...me too." Naruto replied.

As he said this Naruto went to lean back against the mountain wall and fell backwards.

"Ow, what in the world" Naruto said, getting up and rubbing his back.

"It's an opening, k-kinda like a little cave." Hinata said, shivering a little from the cold.

"Lets stay the night here." Naruto said walking into the cave, lit only by the slight light that could be gained from the foggy exterior of the mountain.

"O-ok." Hinata said, walking into the cave.

Just as the two of them got inside the cave they heard the rumbling again. Naruto looked up to see the more of the path that broke when he and Hinata fell, falling from the sky.

"Hurry, get out!" Naruto said, but it was too late, the rubble hit the mountain and caused the entrance to cave in.

"Damn it" Naruto said. "I can't see anything."

"Actually its better for me now" Hinata said, laughing a little.

"Huh?" Naruto said, confused.

"That entrance was letting fog in" Hinata explained. "at least I can see now with my byakugan."

"Well that's good for you" Naruto said, a little frustrated with the situation.  
"Can't we just break through the entrance though?" Hinata asked.

"Not really any point now." Naruto said. "Its pretty dark, and with the fog and all, we might be better off waiting till morning."

"I guess that's tr-rue." Hinata said, with another shiver.

"It is getting cold." Naruto said, hearing Hinata shaking. "Damn, I wish we could light a fire."

"Is it possible that there are portions of the ground it'd be sa-afe to light one on?" Hinata asked.

"Yeah, but there'd be no way to know how." Naruto said, in a depressed voice.

"Um…" Hinata started nervously, hating to state the obvious to the young hokage. "I could look for us."

"Oh right!" Naruto said, excited. "Will you look around?"

"Sure." Hinata said, already scanning the area. "Over here looks good."

"Um, where are you?" Naruto asked. "I can't see."

"Just follow my voice." Hinata said, laughing a little.

"Are you here?" Naruto said, reaching out and touching Hinata's face.

She was glad it was so dark or Naruto would have seen her face turn bright red.

"Y-yes I'm h-here." Hinata stuttered.

"Ok" Naruto said, performing a quick fire like at the camp the night before.

With light shinning in the cave Naruto realized how large it was. It was about the size of a normal house, or at least a few rooms of one.

The two of them sat by the fire for a while trying to warm up. After a while Naruto looked worriedly over at Hinata, who seemed to still be freezing.

"Hey Hinata." Naruto said, wondering how he was going to ask this.

"Ye-es Naruto-kun" Hinata said, looking over at him, shivering.

"Do you mind if we get a little closer?" Naruto asked. "you know, for the warmth."

Had it been the day before Hinata would have probably passed out, but she had gathered herself a little around Naruto since then. She turned as red as the fire, and nodded her head. Then to Hinata's horror Naruto scooted over to her and put his arm around her.

"Better?" Naruto said.

"Y-yes." Hinata stuttered.

"That's good." Naruto said. "I was kinda worried."

It was then that Hinata realized how much she could trust Naruto. After all her years of caring for him she had never really let him in before. After the night before she realized how alike they really were and in her mind she loved him even more than she thought was possible. It wasn't a crush anymore. They were grown up, and she loved him, and right here and now, she just wanted to be around him.

Hinata loosened her body a little and slid down in Naruto's arms so that he was holding her in the firelight.

"The fire's going out." Hinata said, with her eyes half closed.

"Yeah" Naruto said.

He looked down into her eyes and she looked back into his. Just the two of them. And then Naruto leaned down, closing his eyes, and Hinata followed him.

Just then the fire went out. In the darkness their lips met, they stayed like that for what felt like hours and hours, and then Naruto's voice came from the darkness.

"Hinata" Naruto said, as he parted lips with the young Hyuga.

"Ye-es?" Hinata said, more nervous then she had ever been in her entire life.

"I love you." Naruto said.

And with that Hinata dove into Naruto's arms, knocking him back onto the ground, tears of joy pouring from her eyes into Naruto's chest.

The two of them fell asleep there in the darkness. And it was the last night Hinata stuttered around Naruto, till the end of her days.

--------------------------------

The next day the two of them left the cave to find the fog had lifted, and with a smile they started back up the mountain. It took about three and a half weeks for the two of them to make an accurate analysis of the entire northeastern border. They covered every inch of the mountain, and then its base, and then the fields surrounding it. Naruto made notes of anything important as Hinata used her byakugan to survey the area.

For the two young shinobi it was the happiest three weeks of their lives. For the first time in nine years there was no war, no death, and no sorrow; all there was in Hinata's world was Naruto, and the only thing in Naruto's world was Hinata.

--------------------------------

One month to the day since Naruto and Hinata had left on their mission, they returned to the gate of the village. There waiting to greet them was Shikamaru, Sakura, and Ino. When Naruto and Hinata came into focus the three shinobi waiting for their arrival looked on in shock as they saw the two ninja running towards them hand in hand, Hinata beaming.

"Everyone!" Hinata exclaimed as she reached the entrance to the village.

"Calm down Hinata" Ino said, looking somewhat worried. "I've never seen you like this."

"Yeah, what's up?" Sakura asked.

Hinata looked so excited she could barely form words to express herself.

"Me and Naruto" Hinata started, looking up into Naruto's smiling face. "Naruto…"

"Just get on with it" Shikamaru said, getting annoyed.

"Naruto asked me to marry him!" Hinata said, with all the excitement she could muster. "We're getting married!"

"About time" Ino said. "Naruto, have you not seen this girl staring at you for the past twenty-five years."

"Couldn't get yourself into something more troublesome" Shikamaru said. "But then again, I've been wrong before" and with that he smiled at the two.

"Come on!" Sakura said. "We have to celebrate before Ino leaves today on her mission!"

"Oh that's right!" Ino said, apparently having forgotten her assignment. "Damn it! Oh well, lets go celebrate!"

"So where are we going?" Shikamaru asked, looking scared at the excitement of the three girls.

"We've gotta go to Ichiraku!" Naruto exclaimed.

"Naruto you idiot!" Sakura exclaimed. "We're talking about celebrating you getting married here!"

"Ichiraku is perfect." Hinata said, looking into Naruto's eyes.

"Awwww" Sakura and Ino both let out.

"Look at them" Ino said. "so cute."

--------------------------------

So the five shinobi walked over to Ichiraku where they laughed and celebrated for hours until Ino had to leave.

"Congratulations again." Ino said, as she went to leave. "Don't you dare have the wedding till I get back!"

"We won't" Hinata said. "I promise."

"Good luck" Naruto said.

"Pft, like I need luck" Ino said in a cocky tone.

"See you soon" everyone yelled.

Just as Ino dashed off, a young chunin came running up to Naruto.

"Lord hokage!"

"Huh?" Naruto said.

"That's you, now, remember idiot?" Sakura jokingly said to Naruto.

"Lord hokage, you received a message a few moments ago." the young chunin said.

"From who?", Naruto replied.

"I'm not sure sir, it was delivered in an odd way." at this the chunin got an weird look on her face.

"What do you mean odd?" Naruto asked.

"It sort of just floated in through the window, and when I went to pick it up off your desk it seemed real dirty, like it was covered in sand or something."

"Gaara!' Naruto and Sakura both said in unison.

Naruto automatically took the letter and ripped it open:

_Dear Lord Hokage,_

_Meet me at the border of the Grass and Wind country, bring no one, tell no one._

_-Gaara_

At this Naruto ripped apart the letter.

"Hey what was that about?" Sakura asked with a confused look on her face.

"Hinata", Naruto said "I want you to look over the hidden leaf in my absence" at this he scribbled something on a piece of paper and tossed it to Hinata. "That should get the council to answer to any decisions you make. If anyone asks, tell them I've left on an S-rank mission."

"But, wha?" Sakura started to ask, but she trailed off after she saw the look in Naruto's eyes.

"Sounds troublesome" Shikamaru said in that lazy voice of his.

At this Sakura gave Shikamaru a punch to the head.

"This is important!" Sakura yelled.

"Geez, women..." Shikamaru thought.

At this Naruto leapt out of the hidden village, just as Ino had moments ago.

"Be safe." Hinata whispered to herself.

* * *

So ends the thirteenth chapter of The Last Shinobi War, please read and review.


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